19-9-2023 (BEIJING) Former Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was removed from his position in July, is reportedly facing scrutiny over an extramarital affair during his tenure as ambassador to the United States. This revelation, detailed in the Wall Street Journal, has sparked an investigation into whether Qin’s actions compromised China’s national security.
According to the report, Qin Gang is said to be cooperating with the investigation, which is now honing in on whether the affair or his conduct posed a threat to China’s interests. Senior Chinese officials have been informed that an internal Communist Party inquiry discovered that Qin had maintained the affair throughout his term as China’s ambassador to the United States. Two sources disclosed to the newspaper that the affair had led to the birth of a child in the United States.
Qin Gang, who held the position of China’s top envoy in Washington from July 2021 until January this year, was replaced as foreign minister by veteran diplomat Wang Yi in July. His departure from the role followed a mysterious one-month absence from duties merely six months into the job.
