WEB DESK
In a sudden reshuffle at the the top level, the Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi replaced his successor Qin Gang as the Chinese foreign minister.
Qin Gang was appointed last December as a top diplomat of the country after he was serving as a Chinese ambassador to the US. In most of the recent official meetings and high-profile engagements, he was not seen including the foreign minister’s meeting of ASEAN.
Qin’s absence has left a vacuum at the top of China’s foreign ministry.
While serving as ambassador to the US, Qin stepped up his visibility through public and media appearances in Washington in which he explained the Chinese position.
He kept up a busy schedule after his appointment as minister, visiting Africa, Europe, and Central Asia as well as hosting foreign dignitaries in Beijing.