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Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang Suddenly Replaced by Predecessor

Qin Gang hasn’t been seen in public for weeks—and is now officially out of his job.

China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang was officially replaced by his predecessor on Tuesday after weeks of speculation about Gang’s whereabouts. Chinese state media reported that Wang Yi, Qin’s predecessor, had been approved for the job in a vote in China’s most senior decision-making body of parliament on Tuesday. Qin himself has not been seen in public since June 25, and no official reason has been given for his curious disappearance. He was last seen meeting officials from Russia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam in Beijing. Wang previously served as foreign minister between 2013 and 2022, and he has been instrumental in improving communication and relations between Beijing and Washington, D.C.