The recent extended absence of China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang from public view has sparked intense speculation online, once again shedding light on China’s tendency towards secrecy.
Qin Gang, 57, has not made any public appearances for the past 23 days, with his last reported engagements dated back to 25th June. Given his appointment to this position last December and his reputation as a trusted aide to Chinese President Xi Jinping, his prolonged absence has raised concerns not only among diplomats and China watchers but also ordinary Chinese citizens.
When questioned about Qin Gang’s whereabouts on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that she had no information to provide, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the situation.
In China’s largely opaque political system, the sudden disappearance of high-profile officials often leads to speculation about potential issues or problems. Mao Ning’s vague response further fueled the already fervent speculation about Qin Gang’s absence and heightened suspicions.
On Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, users expressed their concerns, with some questioning the spokesperson’s response and finding it worrisome. The situation continues to garner attention and remains a subject of public interest and speculation.
It is not uncommon for high-profile figures in China to experience extended disappearances without initial explanations, only to resurface later as subjects of criminal investigations or return without clarification for their absence.
Past instances of such disappearances have fueled rumors and speculation, as seen with President Xi Jinping’s fortnight-long absence before becoming China’s leader in 2012, which sparked discussions about his health and potential power struggles within the Chinese Communist Party.
Mr. Qin’s prolonged absence is significant, as he is one of the highest-level officials in the party to be missing for such an extended period. Initially, the foreign ministry announced his non-attendance at a diplomatic gathering in Indonesia due to health reasons, but that line was curiously omitted from the official transcript on the ministry’s website. Instead, Mr. Wang Yi, Qin’s predecessor, attended the meeting.
Further raising concerns, talks between Mr. Qin and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, were unexpectedly pushed back two weeks ago, with no explanation provided to the EU for the sudden change in schedule.
During a recent meeting with President Xi, Mr. Qin was noticeably absent, while Chinese state media footage showed other senior officials from the foreign ministry present. The lack of information surrounding his absence has led to rampant speculation and resulted in a significant surge in internet searches for Mr. Qin’s name on China’s biggest search engine, Baidu.
One widely-shared theory circulating online suggests that Mr. Qin might be under investigation due to an alleged extramarital affair. However, when questioned about the rumor, the foreign ministry spokesperson, Ms. Mao, claimed to have no knowledge of the matter, leaving the speculation unabated.
The situation has drawn attention to the lack of transparency in China’s diplomacy system and high-level decision-making processes. Mr. Qin’s rise to becoming foreign minister was rapid, and his tenure has been characterized by a departure from the confrontational “wolf warrior” style of diplomacy previously pursued by China.
Given the opaqueness of China’s political system, it remains uncertain whether Mr. Qin’s absence indicates any trouble, or if he might reappear in public soon. The fact that rumors about such a senior official are being openly discussed on the Chinese internet without complete censorship is quite unusual, leading some to ponder the possibility of power struggles, corruption, abuses of power, and even romantic relationships.
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