China has appointed veteran diplomat Wang Yi as its new foreign minister, replacing former rising star Qin Gang, who had been absent from duties for a month, only six months into the job. Qin, a former aide to President Xi Jinping and envoy to the US, had taken over the ministry in December but hadn’t been seen in public since June 25. The ministry cited health reasons for his absence but provided no further details, leading to speculation about China’s Communist leadership’s secrecy.
Wang Yi, 69, who previously held the foreign minister post from 2013 to 2022, returned to the position after filling in for Qin during his absence. Wang has been representing China at various international meetings, including the recent national security advisers’ gathering of BRICS countries in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The reason behind Qin’s removal from office was not reported in state media, and China’s foreign ministry declined to comment. Qin had been one of China’s youngest foreign ministers, with his rapid rise attributed in part to his proximity to President Xi. Before his foreign minister role, Qin served as the foreign ministry spokesman and chief protocol officer, handling Xi’s interactions with foreign leaders.
Wang Yi takes over the foreign ministry post amid ongoing tensions between China and the United States on various issues, including Ukraine, Russia, Taiwan, and trade and technology disputes.”
