Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, widely regarded as a potential successor to the post of foreign minister, has reportedly been taken in for questioning by the authorities.
Mr Liu, 61, who heads the Communist Party’s International Department, was detained upon his return to Beijing in late July following overseas engagements, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the matter.
No explanation has been offered by the Chinese government for Mr Liu’s detention.
Neither the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs nor the party apparatus, including the International Liaison Department and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, have responded to media inquiries.
Born in Dehui, Jilin province in February 1964, Mr Liu studied English at Beijing Foreign Studies University and pursued postgraduate studies in international relations at Oxford, attending from 1986 to 1987.
His career in the diplomatic service began in the foreign ministry’s translation office, followed by key postings including first secretary in the UK mission (1995–98), counselor in the Information Department (1998–2000), and deputy director-general of the same department (2001–2006).
Mr Liu went on to serve as the ministry’s spokesperson, earning recognition for his sharp communication style, and subsequently held ambassadorial posts in the Philippines and Indonesia. In 2013, he was appointed assistant foreign minister, and in 2022, he assumed leadership of the Communist Party’s International Department.
Alongside his diplomatic duties, Mr Liu also played a significant role in Chinese president Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, having worked in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and led international cooperation efforts under the Party’s internal watchdog.
Mr Liu has travelled extensively since assuming his current role, engaging with officials across more than 20 countries and meeting representatives from over 160 nations, a record that fuelled expectations of his elevation to foreign minister. His outreach included meetings with the US secretary of state Antony Blinken in Washington in early 2024, where he was praised for his balanced style.
Mr Liu’s disappearance marks the most high-profile diplomatic probe since the 2023 removal of former foreign minister Qin Gang amid scandal and internal party investigation.
Mr Qin, 58, who was known for his “wolf warrior” diplomacy and regarded as one of Beijing’s most influential policymakers, was unceremoniously removed from his position after a month-long disappearance from public view.
Following his removal, Mr Qin was replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi, in what some analysts described as a stop‑gap measure to restore diplomatic stability.
