Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who has not been seen in public for a month, was removed from office on July 25, Chinese state media reported.
No reason for his removal was shared on official channels.
Qin Gang, 57, has been replaced by 69-year-old Wang Yi, who had previously served as the foreign minister and is now President Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy adviser.
“China’s top legislature voted to appoint Wang Yi as foreign minister” according to a decision adopted at the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), state news agency Xinhua said.
The development was reported after Qin disappeared from public view over the last weeks. His last known public engagements were on June 25. Only a month ago, Qin Gang held a meeting with the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing as the two sides sought to restore diplomatic contacts at the highest level.
The 57-year-old Qin became one of China’s youngest foreign ministers when he assumed office in December 2022 after a brief stint as ambassador to the United States. Qin had been seen as a confidant of President Xi Jinping and enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top.