What's behind China's removal of Foreign Minister Qin Gang from office? | DW News

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang was removed from office on Tuesday and replaced by former Foreign Minister Wang Yi, state media reported. No reason was given for Qin's removal, however, state media reported that President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order to enact the decision. "China's top legislature voted to appoint Wang Yi as foreign minister... as it convened a session on Tuesday," state media outlet Xinhua said. "Qin Gang was removed from the post of foreign minister."

Qin not seen since June
Appointed as foreign minister in December 2022, Qin has not been seen in public since June 25, when he met Russia's deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in Beijing. After Qin missed an international diplomatic summit in Indonesia, China's Foreign Affairs Ministry said his absence was due to unspecified health problems.

However, the lack of detail as to Qin's whereabouts has fueled speculation that he has fallen out with Chinese leadership, or was subject to an official investigation. On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said it had "no information" to offer about Qin's status. China's Communist Party is notoriously opaque on internal personnel matters, and media and free speech are both heavily restricted in the country.

Wang Yi returns as foreign minister amid tensions
As the leader of the Communist Party's foreign affairs commission, Wang outranks Qin in China's government hierarchy and he had taken on Qin's duties over the past month. Wang held the foreign minister role between 2018 and 2022.

The diplomatic shakeup comes as China and the US work on repairing a tense relationship with divisions on trade, human rights, technology, Taiwan and Beijing's territorial claims. High ranking Chinese diplomats have also visited European countries recently in a bid to patch ties. However, Qin's absence has left a gap at the top of China's foreign ministry. This month, a visit to Beijing by the European Union's foreign policy chief, Joesep Borrell, was called off. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that a UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly postponed a visit to Beijing this month due to Qin's absence.

A fluent English speaker, Qin was China's ambassador to the US from July 2021, to January 2023. He has also been considered by analysts as one of President Xi's most trusted foreign policy advisers, which was made evident by the speed at which he rose through the ranks as US ambassador and foreign minister. Qin is known as a proponent of China's aggressive "wolf warrior" diplomacy, and for his outspoken defense of China's assertive foreign policy.

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[Tommah]

I love this news report. Video Title: "What's behind China's removal of Qin Gang?" The answer: "We don't know."

[krollpeter]

Having extramarital affairs never have been the true reason for removing Chinese officials.

[p.ksharma]

Tibet and Taiwan is an independent country. Forcefully China has occupied it. world should give stapled visa to tibet and taiwan

[michaelg]

Reporter 1: 'We are not sure, it can mean anything'.
Reporter 2: 'Thank you for your insights'.

[goukux]

Wang Yi is bad news for Taiwan, the US and the EU. He tends to be combative and that isn't working well right now. I expect that things will trend towards hostility while Wang is leading the diplomatic effort

[jamesyoh]

Basically, the reporter is telling the viewers that he knew nothing.

[goodfella]

Some countries are quite upset by it😂 . Politically speaking Qingang was more of dove towards US and EU

[sankalp]

Unnecessary hype. He was removed for his extramarital affair. Nothing worth international breaking news.

[pllahey]

I'm always amazed that Kretschmer can never get a better background than a non-descript road with busy traffic.

[lynxorl]

I didn't know the West cared so much about this guy.

[willyang]

But his senior position, “state councilor”, is kept, so that makes it even stranger…

[joe.oneill]

Things like this happen in Dictatorships.

[SeeLasSee]

I think wolf warrior diplomacy has done China even more harm in Southeast Asia. While it’s mostly directed against the west they know it could be turned on them. They see how the Philippines are being bullied.

[ptpcufg]

Qin gang has checked into rehabilitation camp

[Beeworker]

Removal from office vs remaining in office or reinforcing failure with promotion.

[terrie]

How is anyone wants to replace this spot? They don’t worry that they would suddenly go missing or accidentally fall off the office window?

[alipaf]

Does Chinese media reports on changing of FM in Germany ? oh Germany doesn't matter

[phil_]

He was taking his, "diplomacy" in the wrong direction. 😂

[richardefriend]

Spoiler alert: removal is because he was dipping his pen into a western TV reporter's inkwell.

[Drogonmoon]

Might be sign that something more serious could be going to happen !