Chinese foreign minister's disappearance from media sparks curiosity

As China's foreign minister Qin Gang frequently skipped important diplomatic meetings in recent days, it has been observed he has been missing from the media for more than three weeks now, giving fuel to speculations about his disappearance.

Also known to be China's "wolf warrior", Qin was last seen on 25 June during his meeting with visiting officials from Sri Lanka, Russia and Vietnam and has since vanished from the public eye.

Qin broke his own record of an eight-day disappearance over the Lunar New Year holiday, according to the government.

The 57-year-old diplomat who is also considered a close confidante of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has not been seen in public following rumours of his extramarital affair with a TV presenter, The Independent reported.

Qin, so far, has had quite a smooth career as before being appointed as China's foreign minister in December last year, he was promoted to the ambassador to the US from being a foreign ministry spokesperson.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Monday said that she had “no information” when her boss would return to his post. However, she said China's “diplomatic activities were continuing normally".

Qin has missed plenty of important diplomatic meetings during his 24-day absence, including the foreign ministers meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations trading bloc in Jakarta last week where his role was fulfilled by his predecessor and Communist Party’s central committee foreign affairs commission head Wang Yi.

According to the ministry, he was unable to attend the meeting due to "health reasons'.

Wang also present with President Xi for a meeting with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and received US climate envoy John Kerry in Beijing.

Qin’s meeting with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell this month was also postponed without any explanation.

While addressing the foreign minister's disappearance, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Monday said she had “no information” when her boss would return to his post. However, she said China's “diplomatic activities were continuing normally".

Recently, social media has been filled with reports of Qin’s alleged affair with a prominent TV presenter, who recently tweeted images of her child and a still from an interview she did with the foreign minister and the posts are only partly censored, which is questionable as the Chinese government has rigid regulation of social media content.

As China's Communist Party frowns upon cadres having extramarital relationships, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, in response to a reporter's question, on Monday said: “I’m unaware of what you said.”

Although they are often forced, disappearances of politicians, celebrities, and rights activists are common in China.

Before he disappeared out of the blue, the Chinese foreign minister was famous for being outspoken during meetings and other diplomatic exchanges since taking over the post. He also became known as China's “wolf warrior” as he lashed out at the US over the Taiwan row during heightened tensions between the countries.