Liu Jiangchao (61), who was mentioned as a prominent candidate for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, has been arrested by Chinese authorities and is being investigated, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 9th.
WSJ cited sources familiar with the matter, stating that Liu was arrested immediately upon returning to Beijing at the end of July and that the reason for his detention has not been disclosed.
Liu Jiangchao is a ministerial-level figure who has been in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a long time. Since 2022, he has served as the Director General of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party, responsible for relations with foreign parties and socialist countries.
He has been consistently mentioned as a strong candidate for the next foreign minister since former Minister Qin Gang was dismissed just seven months after his appointment in July 2023. The reason for Qin's dismissal was not disclosed, but currently, the position of the foreign minister is held concurrently by Wang Yi, the head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party.
WSJ reported, "Liu Jiangchao may have angered President Xi Jinping by behaving as if the position of the next foreign minister was assured." Liu visited the United States last year, meeting with then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken and figures from the Biden administration, as well as investors and businesspeople such as Ray Dalio and Stephen Schwarzman. This may have become problematic.
WSJ quoted a source saying, "President Xi values loyalty in diplomatic appointments," adding, "His (Liu Jiangchao's) absence would weaken Beijing's diplomatic expertise."