A senior Chinese diplomat, Liu Jianchao, viewed as a likely candidate for foreign minister, was detained for questioning by authorities after returning to Beijing, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
Liu, a seasoned diplomat with experience in anti-corruption efforts, has been leading the Communist Party's International Department, managing relations with foreign political parties and socialist nations.
Authorities took Liu into custody in late July following an overseas work trip, though the reasons for his detention remain unclear.
Attempts to reach Liu for comment were unsuccessful. The Wall Street Journal reported that China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Department, and the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection did not respond to inquiries.
Official records show Liu's most recent activities included trips to Singapore, South Africa, and Algeria in late July, representing the International Department, which still lists him as its minister.
Liu's absence may weaken Beijing's diplomatic expertise, as sources close to China's foreign-policy circles note that Xi Jinping prioritizes political loyalty in appointments. This detention is the most significant investigation of a Chinese diplomat since the 2023 ousting of former foreign minister Qin Gang, who was removed after an internal probe revealed an extramarital affair during his time as ambassador to Washington, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Wang Yi, Qin's predecessor and the Communist Party's top foreign-policy official, replaced him as foreign minister. Qin resigned from the party's Central Committee but retained party membership.
Xi Jinping's ongoing disciplinary campaigns have targeted numerous senior officials, with party inspectors disciplining over 6.2 million individuals for offenses like corruption and leaking state secrets since 2012, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Liu's diplomatic experience and seniority positioned him as a top contender for foreign minister after Qin's removal. In early 2024, Liu visited Washington and New York, earning praise for his engaging approach to stabilizing US-China relations, according to attendees of his meetings, The Wall Street Journal reported. American participants appreciated his willingness to address concerns about China's policies, including restrictions on Western firms.
During the trip, Liu met with think tanks like the Asia Society, investors such as Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone and Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates, and Biden administration officials, including then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"The Chinese were basically telling us that he's going to be the next foreign minister," a US official said at the time. "They were saying, 'He's going on to bigger things.' "
However, Liu's high-profile US engagements drew scrutiny in Beijing, where presenting himself as the next foreign minister before an official announcement was considered politically inappropriate. Liu's career spans decades in the foreign service, with roles in party and state agencies combatifng corruption under Xi's leadership.
Acquaintances of Liu noted his past enthusiasm for golf, which he likely abandoned due to the party's crackdown on lavish behavior. His son, once employed in the US finance industry, is now based in China, according to some sources.
Fluent in English, Liu joined the Communist Party and Foreign Ministry in the 1980s, studying international relations at Oxford University. He rose to prominence as a ministry spokesman during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. China later appointed Liu as ambassador to the Philippines and Indonesia, promoting him to assistant minister of foreign affairs in 2013.
In 2015, Liu shifted to anti-corruption work, leading the international-cooperation office at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and playing a key role in Xi's "Operation Fox Hunt," targeting fugitives accused of graft abroad.
In 2017, Liu led a new supervisory commission in Zhejiang province, enforcing party discipline among government workers. The agency was later established nationally. Liu returned to diplomacy in 2018 as a senior official at the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, a Xi-led body directing China's foreign policy. In 2022, the party appointed Liu head of the International Department and elevated him to the Central Committee. He traveled extensively, including to the US and other Western democracies, unlike his predecessors.
