bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Shi Jiangtao

At 68, Cui Tiankai, China’s ambassador to the United States is well past the traditional retirement age.
He has held the all-important post for an unusually long stint of eight years and his replacement is seen as overdue.
Cui is part of an ageing foreign policy team that has stayed in place as the country has struggled to reshuffle its diplomatic corps to reflect the country’s global ambitions amid its deepening feud with Western countries.
Kissinger warns China and US to guard against all-out artificial intelligence conflict
The delays in key personnel appointments have exacerbated China’s predicament in dealing with unprecedented international pushback in the post-coronavirus world, and with the deterioration of its relations with the United States and its allies, observers warn.
But over the past few months, Beijing appears to have put the overhaul on the front burner, making new appointments in the top ranks of the diplomatic service, including three top overseas posts that have the same protocol rank as deputy cabinet ministers, such as its ambassador to Britain.
Next, Beijing is poised to name a new envoy for its most important overseas posting. According to several sources with knowledge of the matter, Cui is expected to be replaced by foreign vice-minister Qin Gang.
If confirmed, Qin’s appointment, first reported by The Wall Street Journal on April 20, would come as a major surprise to many, including government insiders. While speculation has been rife for years about Cui’s imminent retirement, Qin was not previously considered as a front runner in the race to succeed him.
It remains unclear when Beijing would officially make it public. Appointments of new ambassadors are usually unveiled weeks after the reshuffle occurs. And Beijing is unlikely to unveil its pick for the job before US President Joe Biden formally names his new ambassador to China, according to analysts.
Sources describe Qin, who is responsible for European affairs while overseeing information and state protocol matters, as “a dark horse” for the job in a vetting process that had been under way for months. His lack of direct involvement in managing American affairs or experience in the US had been seen as a key disadvantage.
“We are at a time of unprecedented uncertainty and it’s true not just in terms of the external environment [China is facing],” said a diplomatic source who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We used to have much greater predictability and certainty when it comes to who’s next in line to take over a senior position. That’s no longer the case. Few people know what’s exactly going on [in terms of personnel issues].”


Gu Su, a political scientist at Nanjing University, said such an appointment would be highly unusual. “It [would be] a major departure from past precedents. Despite the much-criticised lack of transparency, there were some vague, established criteria in finding replacements for top diplomats,” he said, citing various factors such as age, seniority of rank, and specialities. “It is a total surprise, with no clear succession arrangements that we know of.”
Yun Sun, a senior fellow at the Stimson Centre in Washington, said Qin’s appointment would be “unprecedented”, given that he has not been an ambassador before and has not specialised in US affairs.
“But in the foreign policy circle, there is also the saying that people who have specialised in one country or region tend to develop emotional attachment and bias in favour of that country. That’s why diplomats rotate so much,” she said.
Will China choose a Wolf Warrior or smooth diplomat to replace Cui Tiankai as its US envoy?
The speculation around Qin has left pundits and professional diplomats scratching their heads as to why he has been tipped to get the job ahead of contenders such as deputy foreign ministers Ma Zhaoxu, Le Yucheng and Xie Feng. Another leading candidate, former vice-minister Zheng Zeguang, was assigned to London as China’s ambassador to Britain in a surprise move late last year.
While the other four candidates are about two years older than the 55-year-old Qin, all are at the vice-ministerial level and are believed to be “capable and qualified”. The differences, according to Yun Sun, lie in their background and specialities.
Le, a Russia expert and a former ambassador to India, is one of the rising stars in China’s diplomatic service after a stint as deputy to Yang Jiechi, President Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy aide, at the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs. He is expected to be promoted to executive deputy foreign minister, a full minister position, which would make him unfit for the vice-ministerial Washington job.
Zheng, a protégé of Yang, is known for his extensive experience in US affairs since the 1990s, and was once considered Cui’s most likely successor. As vice-minister in charge of US affairs, he oversaw the worst downward spiral in bilateral ties under former president Donald Trump. He also served as the second-ranking diplomat at the Chinese embassy in Washington.
Ma, a foreign ministry spokesman and China’s top envoy to the United Nations in New York and Geneva, was also considered as a front runner for the Washington position.
Despite speculation about him winning the post, sources said Xie, another US expert who just took over Zheng’s portfolio after wrapping up his stint as the ministry’s top representative in Hong Kong earlier this year, did not stand much chance in the race.
China urged to call off the Wolf Warriors to build ties with US under Joe Biden
Like Ma, Qin served as the ministry spokesman and the head of the information department. His steady rise through the diplomatic ranks coincided with China’s rapid ascendance as a rising power and a major shift towards diplomatic assertiveness in the Xi era. His career was mainly linked to European affairs, especially Beijing’s relations with London, where he served three times in the Chinese mission, including as minister, the embassy’s second-ranking official.
His career really took off in 2014 when he was transferred to head the ministry’s protocol department, which is in charge of overseeing protocol details for all the external events involving top leaders, especially Xi. He appeared to have been rewarded for his dedicated service close to the leadership when he was promoted in 2017 to assistant foreign minister and again the next year to deputy foreign minister.
Qin is also considered to be part of a new generation of diplomats who do not shy away from contentious issues.
“In terms of style, that might be a very significant factor [for his promotion],” said Yun Sun, noting that Qin was nicknamed “a fighter” when he was a spokesman. “If that is the style he will continue, it fits well with the current prevailing norm Wolf Warrior diplomacy’,” she said.


Steve Tsang, director of the London-based SOAS China Institute, said Qin’s promotion to the all-important position would show that he was the one whom Xi trusted.
“It looks like his credential as a loyalist to Xi takes precedence over other qualifications for the position in Washington. It also seems to reflect that Xi is more interested in getting someone whom he trusts than someone who has an established record to be ambassador to the US,” he said.
“Given that China’s policy towards the US will be determined by Xi, it may appear to Xi and his close advisers that it is more important to have someone Xi trusts than an experienced America hand to take charge of the embassy.”
Another explanation for Qin’s possible selection is peer rivalry and internal competition within the foreign policy establishment, especially among the country’s top diplomats, according to a renowned diplomatic analyst who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
“It is an open secret that China’s top diplomats do not see eye to eye with each other on many issues, particularly those concerning personnel arrangements. It is plausible that other candidates who have factional ties may have fallen victim to internal rivalry,” he said.
Analysts agreed that given Qin’s relatively young age, his promotion to the ambassadorship in the US would be a future-oriented move that could pave the way for his further elevation, with the generational reshuffle of top diplomats in less than two years.
“The appointment of the top overseas posting is likely to be part of personnel arrangements in the lead-up to the five-yearly Communist Party Congress next year and the sweeping governmental reshuffle in two years’ time,” said Pang Zhongying, an international affairs expert at Ocean University of China.


Huang Jing, dean of the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Beijing Language and Culture University, said Qin’s relative inexperience in US affairs could actually help him.
“He is relatively unknown to Americans, which means not many people dislike him. That would make him an acceptable choice,” he said. “Both Biden and Xi want to stabilise bilateral ties, to focus on thorny domestic issues in their own countries. The new ambassadors would be tasked with arresting the precipitous decline in bilateral ties.”
But other analysts were rather pessimistic about the role the new ambassador could play, with US-China relations undergoing structural shift in the post-engagement era and China’s diplomatic decision-making becoming more centralised in the intensifying superpower rivalry.
“With US-China relations being affected by forces beyond an individual’s control, I doubt that the next Chinese ambassador to the US is likely to play a decisive role anyway,” Tsang said.


The back room calculations adding up to China’s next envoy to the US

There have been delays in China’s diplomatic appointments to the United States. Photo: Handout

News

China

Diplomacy


Cui Tiankai’s successor will need to reflect Beijing’s global ambitions while navigating its deepening feud with Washington
Qin Gang has been tipped for the position but he was previously not considered a front runner



Cui Tiankai’s successor will need to reflect Beijing’s global ambitions while navigating its deepening feud with Washington.


The back room calculations adding up to China’s next envoy to the US

Cui Tiankai’s successor will need to reflect Beijing’s global ambitions while navigating its deepening feud with Washington Qin Gang has been tipped for the position but he was previously not considered a front runner

Cui Tiankai’s successor will need to reflect Beijing’s global ambitions while navigating its deepening feud with Washington

Qin Gang has been tipped for the position but he was previously not considered a front runner