China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang removed from office, Wang Yi re-appointed

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China on Tuesday removed Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was not seen in public for nearly four weeks, and re-appointed Wang Yi as the country's top diplomat, state media said.

Qin, 57, was removed after China's top legislature convened a session on Tuesday, Global Times reported.

His ministry had said he was unavailable because of health issues.

Known as a pioneer of the so-called “wolf warrior diplomacy,” Qin was the youngest member of China's State Council, the de facto Cabinet.

He belongs to the Han ethnicity, is a native of Huailai, in Hebei province and is married with a son.

The diplomat's last public appearance was on June 25 when he hosted counterparts from Sri Lanka and Vietnam, Mohamed Uvais Mohamed Ali Sabry and Bui Thanh Son. The same day, he met Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko.