Absent for 12 days, where is Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang? Speculations rise about his health
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang's prolonged absence from public view for 12 days has raised concerns and speculation about his well-being. Qin was scheduled to meet with the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, this month, but China unexpectedly postponed the meeting without providing further information. There have been rumors in Brussels that Qin's absence might be due to health issues, but Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated that he had not heard about such reports during a press briefing in Beijing. The official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry indicates that Qin's last official engagement was on June 25, where he met officials from Sri Lanka, Russia, and Vietnam. On the same day, he also participated in an event alongside Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. Additionally, a lunch meeting between Qin and ambassadors from the European Union in late June was abruptly canceled, according to an ambassador based in Beijing who was on the invite list.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, right, and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo shake hands during the welcome ceremony prior to their bilateral meeting at the Diamond Hotel on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Manila, Philippines. AP/PTI(Upcoming diplomatic commitments Qin's upcoming diplomatic commitments would likely include a meeting with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who is expected to arrive in China on Sunday. Another anticipated event where China's foreign minister would typically attend is the upcoming summit of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta next week. Wang, the foreign ministry spokesman, mentioned that
Read more on economictimes.indiatimes.com
