The Rise and Fall of Qin Gang: China’s Foreign Minister Replaced Within a Month of Disappearance

In a recent development reported by state media Xinhua, China's foreign minister Qin Gang, who had not been seen in public for over a month, has been replaced. 

The country's Parliament announced that Wang Yi will now take up the position of foreign minister, returning to this role after having served in it for nearly 10 months previously. As per the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China, President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order to officially enact the decision to replace Qin Gang as the foreign minister. 

As reported by Xinhua, the voting for this change took place during the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in China. The session also saw the appointment of Pan Gongsheng as the new central bank governor, representing a significant decision by China's top legislature.

The situation has raised questions and attracted attention both within China and on the international stage. As of now, the reasons for Qin Gang's disappearance from the public have not been officially disclosed by the Chinese government. He was last seen in public on June 25 when he met with his counterparts from Russia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. 

During the period of Qin Gang's absence, his planned meetings have been either been cancelled or China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, has been taking his place in various diplomatic engagements, representing the country at important international summits in Jakarta and Johannesburg.

According to The Washington Post, the Chinese government has not provided official information regarding the whereabouts or the reasons for Qin Gang's removal from his position as foreign minister. The silence from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has led to various speculations, ranging from political or personal issues to health concerns.

Adding to the mystery, it was reported that a week before Qin Gang's disappearance from public view, he had a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing. During this meeting, an agreement was made that Qin would travel to Washington, D.C., as part of the diplomatic engagements.

Qin Gang was reported to be a close confidant of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He rapidly rose to prominence within the Chinese government. As per The Washington Post, he held the roles of spokesperson for the foreign ministry and chief protocol officer, responsible for organising many of President Xi's overseas visits.

Next, came his appointment as the Chinese ambassador to the United States in July 2021. However, his tenure in that role lasted for a short duration of about 18 months before he was promoted to become the foreign minister in December.

At the age of 57, Qin Gang is considered one of the youngest authorities to hold the crucial position of foreign minister in the Chinese government. 

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