Where has China’s Foreign Minister disappeared? The mysterious three-week disappearance of China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang, considered a rising star in Chinese politics, is raising questions about the world’s second-largest economy’s access to information.
Qin’s departure follows a quick climb in elite Chinese politics that saw him serve as US ambassador for less than two years before being appointed to the office of foreign minister in December.
He’s kept a full schedule in that capacity. According to government statistics, the 57-year-old’s previous longest absence was only eight days during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The former envoy hasn’t been seen in public since June 25, when he met with Sri Lankan, Russian, and Vietnamese officials. Qin has since been removed from state media, and references to him have been removed from readouts of Foreign Ministry briefings.
Where has China’s Foreign Minister disappeared?
Qin has missed significant diplomatic events during his 23-day leave, including an international gathering of foreign ministers in Indonesia last week.
President Xi Jinping met former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing on Monday, accompanied by Qin’s predecessor Wang Yi and deputy foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu. Wang saw US climate envoy John Kerry a day later.
The information vacuum surrounding Qin’s position comes as China confronts increasing pressure for its lack of transparency. The world’s second-largest economy has restricted access to company data, court documents, academic publications, and expert networks serving enterprises, making it difficult for investors to evaluate the economy.
With important diplomatic events such as the United Nations General Assembly and a Group of Twenty meeting in September, China has less than two months to determine who is now its top representative on the global stage.
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“There’s something everyone is talking about but can’t be talked about publicly,” Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the state-run Global Times newspaper, wrote on Weibo over the weekend, without referencing Qin’s situation. “There needs to be a balance between keeping the operations running and respecting the public’s right to information.”
“Disclosing information would help improve official credibility and convey confidence to the private sector,” he added.
On July 7, China’s Foreign Ministry was requested to explain Qin’s absence after a Politico story indicated suspected health difficulties as the reason for a last-minute postponement of a planned meeting with European Union’s top diplomat Joseph Borrell. The ministry stated that it had “not heard about that” problem.
Four days later, officials announced that Qin would miss ASEAN meetings in Jakarta owing to a “physical condition,” without going into further detail.
During a Monday briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stated that “China’s diplomatic activities are proceeding as usual.” When questioned if the former US ambassador was still in charge, she sent reporters to the ministry’s website, where he is listed as foreign minister.
Rumours circulated on Chinese social media earlier this year that Qin was having an adulterous affair with a Chinese television celebrity. When asked about a piece in the Times of London about the rumors on Monday, Mao answered, “I’m unaware of what you said.”
China’s ruling Communist Party formally prohibits cadres from engaging in extramarital affairs, and its discipline inspector frequently mentions affairs when accusing senior officials of wrongdoing. Former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, on the other hand, attended last year’s leadership congress shortly after a scandal involving a reported account of a decade-long affair.
