Vice-premier for foreign affairs will co-ordinate foreign policy

China's next leaders need to raise the profile of foreign-policy making in the government hierarchy as the country becomes involved in a broader spectrum of international affairs, analysts say.

They say that as more domestic actors become involved in policymaking, the officials in charge of diplomatic affairs lack the seniority needed to co-ordinate them. That has resulted in conflicting perceptions of the handling of external relations.

Observers and insiders expect that after the once-in-a-decade leadership transition at the Communist Party's upcoming national congress, Beijing will put a Politburo member in charge of diplomatic affairs. They say Wang Huning, director of the party's policy research office, is likely be given the task and named a vice-premier.

Just a month ahead of the party congress, the Foreign Ministry announced the establishment of an international economic department to ensure China will be better involved in global co-operation and governance to "safeguard national interests and economic security".

Observers said setting up such a department in the Foreign Ministry, instead of in the Commerce Ministry, indicated that Beijing wanted the nation's diplomats to have a bigger say in the use of economic weapons, including sanctions, and sweeteners to lure more supporters.

With the motto "nothing is trivial when foreign affairs are concerned", China used to place high-ranking officials in charge of diplomacy. Its first foreign minister was premier Zhou Enlai. Many top diplomats afterwards were vice-premiers as China built up ties with countries such as the United States after clashes with former close ally the Soviet Union over ideological differences and border disputes.