Behind the Mysterious Downfall of China’s Missing Foreign Minister
One of the most puzzling stories to emerge from China last year was the sudden disappearance of Qin Gang, a rising political figure and a key ally of President Xi Jinping. Once viewed as a diplomatic star, Qin’s unexpected fall from grace in mid-2023 shocked both domestic and international observers.
Qin’s exit is reported to have been linked to an affair with a well-known Chinese TV host while he was serving as China’s ambassador to the U.S. This was no ordinary scandal. According to sources close to the matter, top Communist Party officials feared that the affair posed a national security threat, a claim that underscored the gravity of the situation. Chinese authorities cited Qin’s personal “lifestyle issues” as the official reason for his ouster, but many believe there’s more to the story. His downfall is one of the most significant political shakeups under Xi’s leadership since he took power in 2012.
A podcast series from The Journal takes a deep dive into this mystery, exploring how Qin’s meteoric rise and shocking disappearance reflect the inner workings of one of the world’s most secretive governments. Through interviews with intelligence insiders, foreign policy experts, and people briefed on the internal party investigation, the series uncovers new details about the potential national security risks and political intrigue that led to Qin’s undoing.
This case is a stark reminder of the risks faced by even the most powerful figures in China’s political landscape—where a single misstep can lead to a swift and mysterious downfall. To learn more about this unraveling mystery, tune in to The Journal’s three-part series, starting with Episode One, which examines how Qin became one of China’s youngest-ever foreign ministers
Source: The Journal