China removes foreign minister Qin Gang; Wang Yi gets old job back

No reasons given for Qin's removal; analysts say Wang's surprise comeback likely a temporary solution

- Tan Dawn Wei

BEIJING - China has stripped Mr Qin Gang of his position as foreign minister after he spent just half a year on the job, and exactly a month after he disappeared from public view, which has spurred rampant speculation about his whereabouts.

The country's top legislature voted to remove Mr Qin, 57, at an emergency meeting called on Tuesday. No reasons were given for his removal, but he retains his role as a state councillor, a Cabinet position that ranks below vice-premiers and above ministers.

The Foreign Ministry purged its website of Mr Qin's biodata and his speeches shortly after the announcement.

In a surprise move, former foreign minister Wang Yi, 69, was reappointed to the position he had held for 10 years until the end of 2022.

He will continue to head the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Foreign Affairs Commission General Office, which makes him the country's top diplomat.

The legislative meeting, confirmed only a day earlier, also saw a change of leadership at the People's Bank of China, with respected governor Yi Gang making way for his deputy Pan Gongsheng, 60. The 65-year-old central bank chief has reached the retirement age for minister-level officials.

News of Mr Wang's comeback was met with surprise, with analysts saying it is likely a temporary solution until a suitable foreign minister can be determined.