China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang Removed from Office After Unexplained Absence

• China dismissed Qin Gang as foreign minister, replacing him with Wang Yi.
• Qin’s removal came amid prolonged public absence with no official explanation.
• President Xi Jinping signed the decree authorizing Wang Yi’s appointment.

China has dismissed Qin Gang from his position as foreign minister, less than seven months after he was appointed. Qin Gang, who was considered a close ally of President Xi Jinping, has been replaced by Wang Yi, a veteran Communist Party foreign affairs chief.

Qin’s absence from public view for an extended period, without any official explanation, has led to intense speculation. The 57-year-old’s last public appearances were on 25 June, and the reason for his removal has not been disclosed.

He was appointed to his role by China’s leader in December of the previous year and had recently met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in an effort to re-establish high-level diplomatic communication between the two countries.

After weeks of uncertainty, Qin Gang’s departure from the post of foreign minister has finally been confirmed. Wang Yi has been appointed as his successor following a vote by China’s top legislature, as reported by state news agency Xinhua. President Xi Jinping signed the decree authorizing the change.

Additionally, the outgoing Central Bank chief Yi Gang, who has reached retirement age, will be replaced by economist Pan Gongsheng, following the legislators’ vote. Despite the clarity on the appointments, there are still unanswered questions surrounding Qin Gang’s removal from his position.

In the Chinese Communist Party system, foreign policy is devised by a high-ranking official who then instructs the foreign minister to carry it out. Wang Yi, a seasoned diplomat fluent in Japanese, is returning to a position he previously held from 2013 to 2022. He had been temporarily filling in for Qin Gang and is currently in South Africa attending a Brics national security meeting.

The appointment of 69-year-old Wang Yi is seen as a strategic move to bring stability to Chinese diplomacy. On the other hand, Qin Gang was a prominent figure in the Chinese government, and his prolonged absence raised significant interest not only among diplomats and China experts but also among ordinary Chinese citizens.

When he disappeared from his regular duties a month ago and missed a summit in Indonesia, the official explanation provided was only that he had unspecified health issues.

To stay informed about current events, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BOLUrduNews/.
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/bolnewsurdu01 and stay updated with the latest news.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/3Tv8a3P to watch news from Pakistan and around the world.