Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi still in line for top diplomatic role
- Veteran diplomat stays on newly revealed 20th Communist Party Central Committee, signalling he is in contention to become foreign affairs chief
- Ambassador to the US Qin Gang seen as a front runner to replace Wang as foreign minister
Wang, who turned 69 this week, is expected to replace Yang Jiechi as President Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy aide.
He also stands a chance to be elevated to the 25-member Politburo, the party’s top echelon of power, when the new Central Committee holds its first session on Sunday.
Yang, 72, had overseen China’s ever-expanding global interests as its most powerful diplomat over the past decade.
He is now expected to retire, after failing to make it to the 205-member Central Committee voted in by the 2,000 or congress delegates – though the line-up is likely to have been decided in advance.
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Unofficial party rules lay down an age limit of 68 for the top leadership. Wang’s re-election means Xi, who has himself just secured a norm-breaking third term in office aged 69, also bent the retirement norms to make an exception for him.