There is a stir in the political corridors of China. The Wall Street Journal quoted the people acquainted with the case as saying that Chinese officials have detained senior diplomat Liu Jianchao for investigation. The newspaper reported that Liu was taken into custody after reaching Beijing after a foreign trip in late July. The cause of custody is not clear. Liu is the head of the International Department of the Communist Party, an agency contacting foreign political parties and works parallel to China’s Foreign Ministry. He is in this post since May 2022.
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Liu’s Wang Yi had a widespread expectation to take over as the top diplomat of Beijing. In July 2023, Wang was again appointed as the Foreign Minister after the gang was suddenly removed from the post after less than a year after he took over. Qin has not been publicly seen since the dismissal. Alfred Wu, Associate Professor of Lee Kuan You School of Public Policy of Singapore National University, said that this is a big thing. Liu was being seen as a person who can replace Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in future.
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He said that Beijing’s action on corruption, especially highly placed officials, also enhances the validity and popularity of Xi among the common people by demonstrating their determination to fight corruption. Wu warned that the details related to custody are unclear and may never be exposed but they said that when senior Chinese government officials are questioned, the most possible reasons are issues related to corruption. The Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to the Vichat message seeking remarks after regular work time. WSJ said that Liu and International Department could not be contacted for comments.
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According to the official website of the International Department, Liu’s last public activity took place on 29 July, when he met local authorities in Algeria. Liu has a long experience in the Ministry of External Affairs. After studying international relations at the University of Oxford from 1986–1987, he worked as a translator before working in the bureaucracy and eventually joined the Information Department.