Global Courant
BEIJING — A month after Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, 57, abruptly disappeared from the public eye, the government is tight-lipped, only saying on Monday that China’s diplomatic activities are “advancing steadily.”
But on the same day, Chinese state media also announced that the country’s top legislature will meet on Tuesday to review “a decision on official appointment and dismissal”.
This is somewhat unusual as it usually meets every other month and had just met in June. However, it can hold interim meetings in case of special needs.
The visit was an attempt by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to return tensions over China’s suppression of Hong Kong and the war in Ukraine to normal.
European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell also abruptly canceled his scheduled trip to the Chinese capital on July 10 after Chinese officials told him they could not receive him at the time.
The burden of Mr Qin’s portfolio has largely fallen on former Foreign Minister Wang Yi and current First Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, who is the most likely man to succeed Mr Qin when he is no longer able to serve.
