19th September 2023 – (Beijing) According to sources familiar with a briefing, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday (Sep 19) that Qin Gang, China’s former Foreign Minister who was removed from his position in July, had engaged in an extramarital affair during his tenure as ambassador to the United States. The investigation is now focused on determining if the affair or Qin’s conduct compromised China’s national security.
Senior Chinese officials were informed that an internal Communist Party investigation discovered Qin’s involvement in the affair throughout his time as China’s ambassador to the United States. The report also revealed that the affair led to the birth of a child in the US, as disclosed by two sources.
Qin Gang, who held the position of China’s top envoy in Washington from July 2021 until January of this year, was eventually replaced by seasoned diplomat Wang Yi in July after a mysterious absence from his duties for a month, just six months into his role as Foreign Minister.
Despite the Wall Street Journal’s inquiries, both China’s Foreign Ministry and the State Council Information Office have declined to respond to the allegations.