'Missing' Chinese Foreign Minister Sparks Speculation On Social Media, Here's What We Know So Far

The continued absence of Qin Gang, the 57-year-old Chinese Foreign Minister, has raised concerns around the world.

Despite Beijing citing "health reasons," there is an element of suspicion and uncertainty surrounding his disappearance, which has lead to speculation on social media.

Qin Gang has been noted to be absent from public view for an unusually long period of three weeks, sparking uncanny speculations about his whereabouts.

Qin Gang, a seasoned diplomat and trusted aide to China's President Xi Jinping, assumed the role of foreign minister in December after serving as ambassador to the United States.

Qin Gang has been vocal in his criticisms of the United States, particularly as bilateral relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated.

One incident that strained relations was the citing and eventual downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

In an effort to restore relations, Qin Gang met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during Blinken's visit to Beijing last month. Beijing's stance on Qin Gang remains ambiguous.

The Chinese government has attributed Qin Gang's absence to "health reasons," a common explanation used in the past when senior officials have disappeared from public view.

These disappearances have become more frequent as President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign continues to target members of his own party.

Qin Gang was last seen on 25 June, and since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown.

His final public engagement was a multilateral meeting in Beijing with officials from Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Russia, which took place after the Wagner mercenary group's uprising against Vladimir Putin.

Notably, he has also been absent during high-profile visits by senior US officials Janet Yellen and John Kerry.

The meeting between Qin Gang and European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell in Beijing was postponed. China informed the European Union just two days before Borrell's arrival that the originally planned dates were no longer feasible.

Qin Gang was also unable to attend the annual foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.

Instead, China was represented by top diplomat Wang Yi.