Future foreign minister? Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao detained in Beijing and taken away for questioning: Reports

Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao detained: Liu Jianchao, a veteran Chinese diplomat long speculated to be a leading candidate for China's next foreign minister, was detained and brought in for questioning by the authorities in early August, as per a report.

Liu Jianchao Detained After Returning From Overseas Trip

The 61-year-old was said to have been detained soon after he returned from a business trip that took him to Singapore, South Africa, and Algeria and ended on July 30, as per a Reuters report. The authorities also searched his residence, but the reasons for the detention are unknown, according to the report.

Neither China's State Council Information Office nor the International Department of the Communist Party, which is led by Liu, commented on the Reuters report. The profile of Liu is still active on the department's official website, as per Reuters report.


ALSO READ: China’s job crisis spurs bizarre trend: Young Chinese pay companies just to pretend they have a job — here’s why

Highest-Level Diplomat Disappearance Since Qin Gang in 2023

Liu's sudden disappearance is the most high-profile vanishing act by a Chinese diplomat since the mysterious fall of former foreign minister Qin Gang in 2023, a protégé of President Xi Jinping, according to the report.

Known for the unusual frequency and intensity of his overseas travel, good command of English, confident, and ability to engage spontaneously without pre-prepared talking points, Liu was different from Chinese diplomats in the past, as per the Reuters report.

One diplomat, who met him in late 2023, said that "He knows how to shape Chinese narratives in a way that's engaging and appealing to foreigners," as quoted in the report. While another diplomat who met his aides around that time said they were very confident that he would soon be promoted to foreign minister, as reported by Reuters.

ALSO READ: Shouting match erupts between Trump and Netanyahu over Gaza starvation pics - here's what actually happened

Liu’s Career Spanned Diplomacy and Anti-Corruption Work

Liu was born in Jilin province in northeast China and studied English at Beijing Foreign Studies University before continuing to Oxford University to study international relations, according to the report. He began his foreign ministry career in China as a translator and subsequently worked in its mission in the UK, and as ambassador to Indonesia and the Philippines, as per the Reuters report.

Unlike other Chinese diplomat, he served two successive postings in China's anti-corruption bureaucracy between 2015 and 2018, when he helped track down corrupt officials who fled overseas, as reported by Reuters.

Since 2022, Liu had headed the Communist Party's International Department, which oversees the management with foreign political parties, according to the report.

ALSO READ: Giant Wyoming data center to guzzle 5x more power than residents, but the user remains secret

Analysts Expected Liu to Succeed Wang Yi

Liu was the most frequently mentioned potential replacement for veteran diplomat Wang Yi as foreign minister according to many diplomats and analysts, as per Reuters. He traveled on a high-profile 2024 trip to the United States, where he met with a variety of senior officials, including then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to the report.

However, he was not promoted to the role at a recent annual government reshuffle, as per the report. Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, said that, "If true, Liu Jianchao's downfall will lead to further power vacuum at the top of China's foreign affairs portfolio," adding, "It removes a frontrunner to succeed Wang Yi and deprives China of a potential next steward for China's foreign policy," as quoted by Reuters.

ALSO READ: As the July jobs report paints a grim picture, 114 companies plan layoffs in August - is yours on the list?

FAQs

When was Liu detained?
He was detained in early August, shortly after returning from a business trip on July 30, as per the Reuters report.

Why was Liu Jianchao detained?
The reason for his detention is unknown. Authorities also searched his home in early August.