Chinese foreign minister abruptly removed from position

Qin Gang has been replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi. Qin disappeared from the public eye about a month ago. Chinese authorities previously cited health reasons for his absence. Qin was foreign minister since last December and previously served as ambassador to the United States. He met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing over a month ago and promised to schedule a visit to the U.S.

Why was Qin removed? No official reason has been given. The foreign minister is the second-highest-ranking diplomat in China. Qin is still listed as having a government cabinet position. Experts believe that his replacement will not greatly affect U.S.-China relations.

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