Lu, 60, earned a reputation for making frequent combative statements during his five-year tenure as Beijing's envoy to Paris, which ended in December. These included his 2023 claim that ex-Soviet states had "no effective status in international law", which angered numerous European Union member states, Reuters reported.
Lu will promote dialogue and cooperation with Europe and "contribute to the stable and healthy development of China-EU relations", ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a press briefing.
His appointment comes when China-Europe relations are at an inflection point, after US President Donald Trump slapped 10% tariffs on China and threatened tariffs on Europe last week as part of his isolationist agenda. He has also repeatedly suggested he wants to buy Greenland, a territory of Denmark.
As transatlantic ties come under strain, China hawks such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are showing signs of willingness to rethink the relationship between Beijing and Brussels, a bond that had badly deteriorated over trade tensions and China's ties with Russia.
In response, China's foreign ministry yesterday said it is willing to work with Brussels to respond to "global challenges" after von der Leyen said on Tuesday and at Davos that both sides should "find solutions" of mutual interest - a marked shift in tone on China.