11-7-2023 (JAKARTA) Speculation surrounds the absence of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who has not been seen in public for over two weeks. While concerns persist, sources reveal that China’s top diplomat Wang Yi is set to attend an international gathering of foreign ministers in Indonesia this week.
Three anonymous sources familiar with the matter disclosed this information but preferred to remain unidentified due to the lack of authorization to speak to the media. The meeting between foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China is scheduled for Thursday in Jakarta, Indonesia. The gathering precedes the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, both taking place on Friday.
Typically, the Chinese foreign minister would represent the country at such meetings, including the current one in Jakarta. However, Qin Gang has not made any public appearances since June 25 in Beijing, where he met with officials from Sri Lanka, Russia, and Vietnam.
In response to queries about Qin’s whereabouts, the Chinese foreign ministry has remained silent. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin was questioned about an article in US political news website POLITICO last Friday, which speculated about Qin’s potential health issues. Wang stated that he had not heard about the report.
Qin’s absence also affected a planned meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Beijing last week. The meeting was postponed after China informed the EU that the initially scheduled dates were “no longer possible,” according to an EU spokesperson. The EU received notification of the postponement merely two days before Borrell’s intended arrival on July 5, according to a source familiar with the plans.
