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Prominent politicians like Qin Gang (57) are actually photographed and filmed every day. But the latest photo of China’s foreign minister is a month old. It shows the 57-year-old smiling on June 25 next to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko. Since then, there has been no trace of Qin Gang, although he actually has important obligations to fulfill.
Is the minister ill? Is he having an extramarital affair? Or is he under investigation for corruption? The case not only irritates more and more Chinese, representatives of other countries are also wondering how they should respond to the disappearance.
Diplomats are concerned
Qin Gang, who has enjoyed a fast-paced career under head of state and party leader Xi Jinping and has been foreign minister since March, will represent China as a global superpower. Are get well wishes appropriate? Or is it better to wait until the fog has lifted, Western diplomats wonder.
Speculation was further fueled by an announcement on Monday night. The Standing Committee of the People’s Congress should therefore meet shortly this Tuesday. One of the two items on the agenda should therefore relate to personnel decisions. However, it was unclear whether it would actually be about Qin Gang.
Sudden cancellation of meetings
In early July, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was one of the first to sense something was off. A few days before a scheduled meeting with Qin Gang in Beijing, the Chinese suddenly canceled. He also did not participate in a summit meeting of the foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian community of states ASEAN. Instead, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, who ranks above the foreign minister in the hierarchy of power, traveled.
Wang Yi represented Qin Gang at a number of meetings recently, including this week at a meeting of the Brics countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in Johannesburg.
When asked why Qin Gang did not attend the ASEAN meeting, a Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesperson replied that it was not possible for “health reasons”.
Journalist posted suspicious photo
But at the same time, there is speculation that Qin Gang has been taken out of circulation because of an extramarital affair with a baby. When asked about the unsubstantiated rumors that he was having an affair with a journalist from Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV channel, a spokeswoman for Beijing’s foreign ministry said she had “no information” on the matter. However, she did not repeat that Qin Gang was sick. You have “no information,” is now routinely said at the State Department when asked about the boss.
The journalist, though she rarely posted, posted a photo of herself with the foreign minister on Twitter – along with the message that she had given birth to a child and would not be doing any more interviews for now. This immediately led to speculation.
The minutes of the daily press conference, which is posted on the ministry’s website each evening, highlight questions about Qin Gang. This secrecy is also criticized in China. Beijing’s leadership is taking a “black box approach,” said Wu Qiang, a former professor of politics at renowned Tsinghua University. For him it is already a fact that there is an investigation into the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Is he being investigated?
“Everyone is worried about something, but can’t say it publicly,” wrote Hu Xijin, a commenter on the Weibo social network who is also known for his nationalistic tones, after Qin Gang stopped appearing in public.
The case of the Secretary of State is arousing great interest. However, disappearances of senior officials, celebrities and business people are not uncommon in China. It often turns out afterwards that they were involved in investigations or other controversies.
One of the most famous cases in recent years is that of former Chinese Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, who disappeared in 2018 while traveling to his native China. Two years later, a Chinese court sentenced him to a long prison term for accepting bribes.
Could Qin Gang suffer a similar fate? “Investigations against the person Qin and/or his network are likely given the length of his absence,” said Nis Grünberg of the China Institute Merics in Berlin. But health problems could also be the cause of his disappearance. Above all, Beijing would not immediately report a serious illness such as a heart attack or similar problems. Whether the truth will ever come to light is unclear. Information control is a top priority for Beijing, says Grünberg. (SDA/neo)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
