Former Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s Ouster Over Extramarital Affair Reportedly Under Investigation

By Gloria Ogbonna

China’s Foreign Ministry has declined to comment on a Wall Street Journal report alleging that its former foreign minister, Qin Gang, was removed from his position due to an alleged extramarital affair.

According to the report, Qin, a career diplomat and trusted aide of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, was found by a Communist Party investigation to have engaged in an extramarital affair while serving as China’s envoy to Washington.

Qin’s sudden removal from his position in July, after only seven months in the role, was an unusual shake-up of the country’s foreign policy leadership. The reasons for his removal were not provided at the time, leading to speculation and rumors.

The Wall Street Journal report states that senior Chinese officials were briefed last month on the Communist Party’s investigation into Qin. They were reportedly told that the formal reason for his dismissal was “lifestyle issues,” a term commonly used to refer to sexual misconduct.

The investigation found that Qin had “engaged in an extramarital affair that led to the birth of a child in the US,” according to the report.

An investigation is ongoing, and Qin is said to be cooperating. The probe is examining whether the alleged affair and any other actions by Qin might have affected China’s national security.

China’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the report during a press briefing, stating that it was “not aware” of the information.

Qin was replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi, and still holds a high-ranking role as one of China’s five State Councilors. His removal comes as national security has gained increased importance under Xi Jinping, who sees significant threats to China amid strained tensions with the United States and its allies.

China declines to address WSJ report foreign minister was removed over extramarital affair. @Simonelmc and @malexstambaugh have the story: https://t.co/LUxpfCuPy4

— CNN Asia Pacific PR (@cnnasiapr) September 20, 2023

Qin had played a key role in efforts to restore communication between the US and China during his tenure, including meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to the biographical information page on China’s Foreign Ministry website, Qin is married with a son.

Source: CNN

CNN’s Beijing bureau contributed to this report.