Advertisement
China’s former foreign minister Qin Gang resigns from legislature after long absence from public view
- Statement from NPC Standing Committee meeting says Qin was not dismissed or expelled and his resignation had been accepted by the Tianjin People’s Congress
- Announcement comes on the same day that former defence minister Li Shangfu’s removal from top command body is confirmed
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
79
China’s former foreign minister Qin Gang, who has been missing from public view since June last year, has resigned as a member of the national legislature ahead of a key political set piece event, according to an official statement.
Advertisement
The statement, issued after a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, said Qin has not been dismissed or expelled from the NPC.
His resignation as a deputy has been accepted by the Tianjin People’s Congress, it added.
The announcement coincides with the removal of Li Shangfu from the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, the key military command body, according to the defence ministry’s website.
Li had previously been dismissed as defence minister and as a state councillor in October without any official explanation.
Advertisement
The announcements help tie up some loose ends ahead of next week’s “two sessions”, when the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body, meet in Beijing.
Advertisement