The Fourth Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday, July 25th. The conference, after voting, decided to relieve Qin Gang of his concurrent post as Minister of Foreign Affairs and appointed Wang Yi to the position. The decision was finalized under Presidential Order No. 8 signed by President Xi Jinping, with Zhao Leji, the Chairman, presiding over the meeting.
Wang Yi is currently a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs. He now adds the role of Minister of Foreign Affairs to his responsibilities.
Qin Gang remains a State Councilor.
According to public records, Qin Gang, 57 years old, was a member of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, a State Councilor, a member of the Party Group of the State Council, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs before his dismissal. After being dismissed as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin still serves as a State Councilor. Further observation is needed to track Qin Gang’s future trajectory.
Qin Gang has held numerous positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Deputy Director and Director of the Information Department, Spokesperson, Director of the Protocol Department, and Vice Minister. From 2021 to 2022, he served as China’s ambassador to the United States. On December 31, 2022, Qin Gang succeeded Wang Yi to become China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Qin Gang officially took over as Foreign Minister in late December last year and was appointed as a State Councilor in March this year, making him part of the “Party and State Leadership.” This means Qin Gang was promoted twice within three months, a rare occurrence in Chinese politics.
Qin Gang has not made any public appearances in the past month. The last time he appeared publicly was on June 25th when he met with the visiting Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Most recent diplomatic activities have been attended by Wang Yi, the Director of the CPC Central Foreign Affairs Office. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been repeatedly asked about Qin Gang’s recent status, but they have stated that there is no information available.