Where in the world is Qin Gang, and why it matters to US-China diplomacy
- China’s foreign minister has not been seen publicly since June 25, and the effects on Beijing’s relations with Washington are growing
- The disappearance, attributed to health reasons, impedes the ability to make headway on a slate of issues before a possible Xi Jinping-Joe Biden meeting in November
The extended absence from public view of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang could have a deleterious effect on US-China relations if it stretches much longer, given the delicate diplomatic dance under way in advance of an anticipated November meeting between the leaders of the two countries, US analysts and former officials said.
But the mystery deepened this week when the foreign ministry refused to provide information on Qin’s status at its daily news briefing, then deleted the question from the official transcript.
“To me this reveals how little we know about Chinese elite politics,” said Rorry Daniels, managing director of the Asia Society Policy Institute.
“It certainly is awkward timing to not have access to the Chinese foreign minister when presumably an item on the agenda is whether or not Xi Jinping is going to come to the United States for the [Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation] summit in November.”
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Mystery over missing Chinese foreign minister takes toll on country’s international image
So far, the Chinese Communist Party’s foreign policy chief, Wang Yi – who held the foreign minister job until Qin took over in late December – has stepped in at key meetings, including a regional gathering of foreign ministers in Indonesia and visits by senior American officials.