PARIS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay named Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Qu Xing as the organization's deputy director-general, according to an official press release issued Thursday.

The deputy director-general provides strategic direction and oversight to the director-general on general management of the Organization. The incumbent supports the director-general in ensuring coherence of activities and program, at headquarters and in the field.

Born in Chengdu, China, the 62-year-old diplomat graduated from the Department of French Language at Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1982. Three years later, he obtained a master's degree in History of Chinese Diplomacy from the China Foreign Affairs University. In 1992, he obtained his PhD in Political Science at Paris Institute of Political Studies.

Qu was vice-president of the China Foreign Affairs University, minister in Chinese Embassy in France and president of the China Institute of International Studies. Currently, he is the Chinese ambassador to Belgium.

Azoulay also announced the nomination of three other members of UNESCO's senior management team, Stefania Giannini (Italy, 57 years old) as Assistant Director-General for Education, Ernesto Renato Ottone Ramirez (Chile, 45 years old) as Assistant Director-General for Culture and Moez Chakchouk (Tunisia, 42 years old) as Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information.

On the occasion of these appointments, Azoulay said "the arrival of these four individuals to UNESCO's Senior Management Team fully aligns with dynamic that I intend to instil in our Organization. The quality of their professional careers and their diversity are real assets for UNESCO and reflect our ambition to be at the crossroads of cultures to build peace. "