Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, seen as a possible future foreign minister, has reportedly been taken in for questioning by authorities. According to The Wall Street Journal report, the 61-year-old was detained in late July after returning to Beijing from overseas trips. Liu heads the Communist Party’s International Department, a key body handling foreign relations.
No reason has been given for his detention, and Chinese officials have not responded to media questions, according to the report.
According to The Independent, born in Dehui, Jilin province in 1964, Liu studied English at Beijing Foreign Studies University and later attended Oxford University in 1986–87 for postgraduate studies in international relations. He began his career in the foreign ministry’s translation office, later serving in several important positions, including in the UK mission, the Information Department, and as the ministry’s spokesperson.
Liu also worked as China’s ambassador to the Philippines and Indonesia, became assistant foreign minister in 2013, and took charge of the Communist Party’s International Department in 2022. In this role, he travelled widely, meeting officials from more than 160 countries, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in early 2024. His work earned him a reputation for a balanced diplomatic style, and many believed he was being prepared to replace current foreign minister Wang Yi, according to the report.
Liu also played a part in President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive, having served in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Party’s top internal watchdog.
His sudden disappearance is the most high-profile case involving a Chinese diplomat since former foreign minister Qin Gang vanished from public view in 2023.
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