China: after his mysterious absence, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is dismissed

2023-07-25 14:35:05

His absence had generated numerous rumors on social networks, including that of an adulterous affair with a presenter from a Hong Kong television channel, met when he was ambassador to the United States. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who had not been seen in public for a month, has been relieved of his duties, state media reported on Tuesday (July 25th). He is replaced by his predecessor Wang Yi, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Aged 57 and considered close to President Xi Jinping, he had only been in office since the end of December 2022.

No reason is given by the agency, which reports other appointments including that of Pan Gongsheng, an economist by training, at the head of the central bank.

Health reasons?

In office since the end of December, Qin Gang, with his usually busy schedule, had not been seen since June 25 and a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart in Beijing. Since then, he has missed several diplomatic meetings, including an important meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia in early July.

An absence which has increased the pressure on the authorities, who have evaded many questions on the subject in recent weeks. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had then justified this absence of Qin Gang by “reasons of health”, before walling itself in virtual silence.

Wang Yi already fulfilled part of the prerogatives

Since the beginning of Qin Gang’s absence, his predecessor Wang Yi had already fulfilled some of the obligations of the now ex-minister.

Wang Yi is the Chinese Communist Party’s top diplomatic official, a rank above minister. Currently in South Africa to participate in a meeting of the Brics group, he had already held these ministerial responsibilities from 2013 to 2022.

Qin Gang’s absence caused a certain vacuum at the head of the ministry. A visit to Beijing by the head of European Union foreign policy, Josep Borrell, was suddenly canceled in July. And the Bloomberg news agency claimed on Friday that a visit by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly had been postponed due to Qin Gang’s absence.