Richard Llewellyn Williams
Encyclopedia
Richard Llewellyn Williams, (born December 28, 1929) was a career member of the Senior Foreign Service
who, over three decades as a career U.S. diplomat, opened the first American consulate in mainland China since the 1940s (in Guangzhou, 1979), served as the first U.S. Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic from 1988 to 1990 (Diplomatic relations were established with the Mongolian People's Republic in January 1987) and then was named Consul General in Hong Kong from 1990 to 1993. Williams was also director of Chinese affairs at the U.S. State Department during the Tiananmen crisis.
correspondence staff. From 1968 to 1972 he was a political officer at the U.S. consulate general in Hong Kong
. Between 1972 and 1975 he served as an international relations officer for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research
. He was a country officer for Fiji
and Papua New Guinea
at the Department of State from 1975 to 1977; and then a student at the National War College
from 1977 to 1978. In addition he was Deputy Director of the Office of Micronesian Status Negotiations (1978–1979), consul general in Guangzhou
(Canton
) (1979–1981) (recounted in his 2005 memoir At the Dawn of the New China), and deputy consul general in Hong Kong (1981–1985). For seven years following his 1994 retirement from the Foreign Service, he taught graduate level China-related courses at Columbia and New York universities.
At the time of his nomination by President Ronald Reagan
as U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia, Mr. Williams was Country Director of the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs at the Department of State in Washington, DC. Given the infrastructure challenges in Ulaanbaatar at the time, the State Department decided to accredit an Ambassador stationed in Washington. Usual U.S. Government practice in such circumstances would be to co-accredit an ambassador from a neighboring country, usually a larger country. But Washington did not want to give the Mongolians the impression that it considered them an adjunct of either Moscow or Beijing.
From 1940 - 1945, Williams was one of the kids on the radio program Quiz Kids
. He served in the United States Army, 1953 - 1955.
(A.B., 1948), Purdue University
(B.S., 1951), and Harvard University
(M.B.A., 1953). He was born in Chicago, IL and raised in East Chicago, IN. He is married, has two children, and resides in Menlo Park, CA.
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
who, over three decades as a career U.S. diplomat, opened the first American consulate in mainland China since the 1940s (in Guangzhou, 1979), served as the first U.S. Ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic from 1988 to 1990 (Diplomatic relations were established with the Mongolian People's Republic in January 1987) and then was named Consul General in Hong Kong from 1990 to 1993. Williams was also director of Chinese affairs at the U.S. State Department during the Tiananmen crisis.
Career
Richard L. Williams joined the Foreign Service in 1956. From 1965 to 1967 he was detailed to the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
correspondence staff. From 1968 to 1972 he was a political officer at the U.S. consulate general in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Between 1972 and 1975 he served as an international relations officer for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research
Bureau of Intelligence and Research
The Bureau of Intelligence and Research is an intelligence bureau in the U.S. State Department tasked with analyzing information. Originally founded as the Research and Analysis Branch of the Office of Strategic Services , it was transferred to the State Department at the end of World War II...
. He was a country officer for Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
at the Department of State from 1975 to 1977; and then a student at the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
from 1977 to 1978. In addition he was Deputy Director of the Office of Micronesian Status Negotiations (1978–1979), consul general in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
(Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
) (1979–1981) (recounted in his 2005 memoir At the Dawn of the New China), and deputy consul general in Hong Kong (1981–1985). For seven years following his 1994 retirement from the Foreign Service, he taught graduate level China-related courses at Columbia and New York universities.
At the time of his nomination by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
as U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia, Mr. Williams was Country Director of the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs at the Department of State in Washington, DC. Given the infrastructure challenges in Ulaanbaatar at the time, the State Department decided to accredit an Ambassador stationed in Washington. Usual U.S. Government practice in such circumstances would be to co-accredit an ambassador from a neighboring country, usually a larger country. But Washington did not want to give the Mongolians the impression that it considered them an adjunct of either Moscow or Beijing.
From 1940 - 1945, Williams was one of the kids on the radio program Quiz Kids
Quiz Kids
Quiz Kids, a popular radio-TV series of the 1940s and 1950s, was created by Chicago public relations and advertising man Louis G. Cowan . Originally sponsored by Alka-Seltzer, the series was first broadcast on NBC from Chicago, June 28, 1940, airing as a summer replacement show for Alec Templeton...
. He served in the United States Army, 1953 - 1955.
Education
Mr. Williams graduated from the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
(A.B., 1948), Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
(B.S., 1951), and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(M.B.A., 1953). He was born in Chicago, IL and raised in East Chicago, IN. He is married, has two children, and resides in Menlo Park, CA.