China’s Dr. Fang Liu has been appointed to a three-year term as the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO's) secretary general, an announcement welcomed by the National Business Aviation Association.

The director of ICAO's Bureau of Administration and Services since 2007, Liu succeeds France’s Raymond Benjamin, who has served as the organization’s leader since 2009.

"NBAA welcomes Dr. Liu to her new position with ICAO," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "Her many years of experience in international aviation give her an informed perspective on the many complex issues facing the global aviation industry. “Business aviation has always been global in nature,” continued Bolen. “However, with more NBAA Member Companies than ever operating outside the U.S., ICAO’s role as a global aviation policy body is increasingly important to our industry. NBAA, which works with ICAO through the International Business Aviation Council, looks forward to engaging Dr. Liu on the issues that impact business aviation worldwide."

Dr. Fang Liu of China (left) accepts the thanks and congratulations of the ICAO Council after being appointed the first woman to serve as ICAO Secretary General, commencing 1 August 2015. She is seated beside current ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin of France (centre) and ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu of Nigeria.

For two decades beginning in 1987, Liu was a mainstay at the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), serving as legal counsel, deputy director and director. She also was deputy director general at the CAAC’s Department of International Affairs and Cooperation, where she dealt extensively with ICAO and several other international organizations on matters of aviation policy, international air transport regulation and development, as well as air services negotiations on behalf of the Chinese government. She also served a four-year term as chair of the Aviation Group for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group.

Liu has published a number of articles, and has lectured on international air transport regulation and aviation law. She earned a PhD in law at Wuhan University of China, where she specialized in international law. She also has a Master of Laws degree from Leiden University of the Netherlands, where she majored in air and space law.

Liu begins her term on Aug. 1.