China: Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday has been replaced by Wang Yi, the diplomat who serves as President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy aide, as per state broadcaster CCTV.

Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, who had not been seen in public for over a month, was officially removed from his post on Tuesday.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that Wang Yi, President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy aide, has replaced Qin Gang as the new foreign minister.

The decision to sack Qin Gang was made during a special session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

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Qin Gang’s mysterious disappearance in June triggered widespread public discussions and became a significant crisis for Xi Jinping.

According to South China Morning Post, Qin’s removal from office is based on rules outlined in the Organic Law of the National People’s Congress, which grants the Standing Committee the authority to appoint or remove officials.

There were speculations that Qin Gang’s alleged affair with a journalist named Fu Xiaotian could have played a role in his disappearance.

The Communist Party of China strongly condemns involvement in extramarital affairs, and such actions are often associated with charges of corruption, even for senior officials.

Qin had previously served as China’s ambassador to the US in July 2021 before being elevated to the position of foreign minister seventeen months later.