Disappeared from Public for Over 3 Weeks
'COVID-19 Infection Rumors' Followed by Flood of Speculation
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has not appeared in public for over three weeks, sparking a flurry of speculation.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefly cited "health issues," but Chinese-language media have been circulating various rumors ranging from espionage allegations to extramarital scandal.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 17th, there have been no updates on Minister Qin Gang on their website since the 25th of last month. At that time, Qin met with the foreign ministers of Sri Lanka and Vietnam, as well as the Russian deputy foreign minister in Beijing, and then disappeared from official appearances.
Most notably, suspicion grew when Qin did not attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held via video conference on the 4th, which was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
As rumors about his condition surfaced, journalists began investigating. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regular briefing on the 7th of this month, spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded to questions about Qin's whereabouts by saying, "I have not heard of the situation you mentioned," and four days later announced that Politburo member Wang Yi would attend the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Qin's place. The official reason given was "health issues."
Various rumors including serious illness, investigation, and affair allegations
The first rumor related to Foreign Minister Qin Gang is that he contracted COVID-19.
On the 10th, Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily reported that Qin had tested positive for COVID-19 and was recuperating, with a high possibility of returning to work soon. However, considering that COVID-19 typically resolves within about two weeks, suspicions have arisen that there may be other reasons for his absence.
Other speculations include serious illness and investigation rumors. The serious illness theory suggests that he is suffering from a disease that is difficult to recover from quickly and is receiving treatment in a separate location, while the investigation theory claims he is under investigation for issues during his tenure as China's ambassador to the United States.
There are also affair rumors. It is rumored that Qin Gang fathered an extramarital child with a famous female broadcaster. The broadcaster is known to be Hong Kong announcer Pu Xiaotian. Foreign media appear to be giving weight to the affair rumors.
The British media outlet The Times cited newspapers from Taiwan and Hong Kong, reporting that Pu Xiaotian suddenly stopped her broadcasting activities recently and that this is related to Qin Gang's disappearance. The Times and some other foreign media claim that Pu Xiaotian is suspected of being a double agent, and that Qin Gang is undergoing a rigorous investigation related to leaking state secrets.
Meanwhile, Qin Gang is a symbol of China's characteristic aggressive diplomacy, known as "wolf warrior (Zhanlang) diplomacy." Qin, who enjoys the special trust of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has rapidly risen through the ranks. Notably, after being appointed Foreign Minister at the end of last year as the successor to Politburo member Wang Yi, Qin maintained his position and was promoted to State Councilor at the Two Sessions (National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) in March this year.
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