Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang Removed from Office: Mystery Surrounds His Disappearance

Tuesday, 25/07/2023 22:10 WIB

Pictured: Qin Gang, spokesperson for the Chinese delegation listens to questions at the Six-Party Talks press conference on July 26, 2005 in Beijing, China. (Photo Files – Getty Images/China Photos)

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The Chinese government removed Qin Gang as foreign minister. This was less than seven months after he was appointed to the post.

That role will be taken over by the Communist Party’s head of foreign affairs, Wang Yi. It, quote BBCwas the minister of foreign affairs before Qin Gang was appointed.

Previously Qin was reported missing from the public. This is prolonged and raises questions in the public.

This came after meeting with Sri Lankan, Vietnamese and Russian officials in Beijing. Ten days later, on July 5, China without explanation canceled a meeting between Qin and European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who was scheduled to travel to the Bamboo Curtain.

Qin is said to have also missed visits by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and climate envoy John Kerry this month. During the series of ASEAN Ministerial Meeting/Post Ministerial Conference (AMM/PMC) held in Jakarta, Qin was also replaced by Senior Diplomat Wang Yi.

Qin’s absence sparked much speculation. Moreover, President Xi Jinping’s protégé was lost during a critical period of China’s international diplomacy.

“Considering China’s status and influence in the world, it is indeed very strange that the foreign minister has not been seen in public for more than 20 days,” said former editor of the Communist Party newspaper, Deng Yuwen.

Qin, who is 57 years old, is one of China’s most prominent diplomats to the outside world. He was a former ambassador to the US before Xi promoted him to foreign minister in December 2022.

Although he and his country have recently toned down their style, Qin was an early adopter of China’s aggressive rhetoric. This became known as Chinese wolf warrior diplomacy.

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