China’s Wang Yi sets out goals as foreign minister again, as Qin Gang’s name reappears on ministry website
- China will ‘resolutely safeguard’ its interests, Wang says in first remarks since replacing Qin, who has not been seen in public for a month
- Foreign ministry spokeswoman tells media not to ‘over-decode’ matters as Qin’s information reappears on official website
Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi vowed to “resolutely safeguard” national interests, spelling out his goals in a statement on Friday – days after being reappointed as foreign minister.
Following the announcement of Qin’s abrupt dismissal just seven months into the job, records of his public engagements were swiftly scrubbed from the foreign ministry’s website.
Information on his meetings with foreign officials reappeared on the website on Friday, including his last recorded engagements on June 25 – when he met diplomats from Russia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. As of Friday afternoon, Qin’s name was still missing from the list of previous foreign ministers.
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Asked about Qin’s records reappearing on the website, the ministry urged the media not to “over-decode” the information.
“We have taken notice that the [foreign ministry] website has been updating. It’s normal to update information. You don’t have to over-decode our information,” spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday.
Tuesday’s announcement made no mention of Qin’s role as a member of the State Council – China’s cabinet – but records of his work as foreign minister remained on the State Council’s website.
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Some observers have suggested that the turn of events could be viewed as a setback for Xi’s government, but Wang’s statement on the foreign ministry website on Friday asserted collective faith in his leadership.
“We will unite more closely around the Communist Party’s Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core,” Wang said.
Wang was promoted last year to foreign affairs chief for China’s ruling Communist Party, making him the country’s No 1 diplomat. He had been foreign minister for nearly a decade before being succeeded by Qin in December.
He had also been filling in for Qin at diplomatic meetings before the formal announcement of his dismissal, and is seen by observers as a “safe choice” in a busy year for diplomacy.
China would “firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace” and actively take part in the reform of global governance, Wang said in his statement, while pledging to expand partnerships with countries around the world.
“[China will] resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests” and “fully protect” the rights of Chinese citizens, he said.
Observers said the move to reappoint Wang was typical of Beijing’s playbook – in line with the tradition of entrusting members of its top decision-making body, the Politburo, to steer the party through a political crisis.
Wang’s reappointment makes him one of China’s most powerful foreign ministers in decades and the first Politburo member since Qian Qichen to hold the position.
Some analysts have suggested that China’s Wolf Warrior approach – an assertive and combative style of diplomacy – was likely to continue with Wang at the helm, despite the exit of the tough-talking Qin.
