Foreign Minister of China Kin The gang will not attend a diplomatic meeting in Indonesia as expected this week, sources familiar with the matter said, extending an unexplained public absence that has lasted more than two weeks.
Three sources familiar with the matter declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said Wang Yi, the top diplomat representing China at the meetings in Jakarta instead.
The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are scheduled to meet on Thursday, ahead of the East Asia Summit on Friday and ASEAN Regional Forum.
Qin, 57, took over as foreign minister from Wang in December and was last seen in public on June 25 after meeting with officials from Sri Lanka, Russia and Vietnam in Beijing.
China’s foreign ministry did not respond to questions about Qin Where.
His absence did not go unnoticed.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin was asked about an article published by US political news website POLITICO last Friday that cited speculation that health issues could be behind Qin’s absence. He said he had not heard about the report.
Qin was due to meet EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell in Beijing last week, but the meeting was pushed back after China informed the EU that the dates were „no longer possible”, an EU spokesman said.
The postponement was announced to the EU two days before Borrell’s arrival on July 5, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Wang Yi, who is the foreign policy chief of the Chinese Communist Party, is above Qin, who is the foreign policy chief of the government, who is the foreign minister.
Three sources familiar with the matter declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said Wang Yi, the top diplomat representing China at the meetings in Jakarta instead.
The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are scheduled to meet on Thursday, ahead of the East Asia Summit on Friday and ASEAN Regional Forum.
Qin, 57, took over as foreign minister from Wang in December and was last seen in public on June 25 after meeting with officials from Sri Lanka, Russia and Vietnam in Beijing.
China’s foreign ministry did not respond to questions about Qin Where.
His absence did not go unnoticed.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin was asked about an article published by US political news website POLITICO last Friday that cited speculation that health issues could be behind Qin’s absence. He said he had not heard about the report.
Qin was due to meet EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell in Beijing last week, but the meeting was pushed back after China informed the EU that the dates were „no longer possible”, an EU spokesman said.
The postponement was announced to the EU two days before Borrell’s arrival on July 5, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Wang Yi, who is the foreign policy chief of the Chinese Communist Party, is above Qin, who is the foreign policy chief of the government, who is the foreign minister.