China’s foreign minister has seemingly disappeared from public view, fueling speculation of an affair with a well-known TV presenter.
Rumors continue to circulate that Qin Gang, known for his aggressive actions as one of the “Wolf Warrior” diplomats, may have run afoul of the communist state’s leadership after assuming that role as recently as December.
Qin rose seamlessly in the ranks of the Chinese Communist Party and spent time as ambassador to Britain and the United States. He made a name for himself with his aggressive attitude toward meetings with Western officials.
But Qin has not been seen for several weeks. His last public appearance was a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart on June 25th. It’s a particularly long time for a foreign minister not to be seen in public.
This has led some to suggest he may have been having an affair with popular TV presenter Fu Xiaotian, 40, who has also not been seen for some time after a flirtatious interview between them surfaced.
Rumors circulated, particularly in the Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, that Qin and Fu may have had an affair after a “flirty interview.”
China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a joint press conference with Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt in Oslo in May
Fu Xiaotian is the Host and Producer of Talk With World Leaders on Phoenix TV in China
The Chinese foreign ministry initially refused to comment on the minister’s apparent disappearance.
However, when he failed to attend a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta last week, as planned, the ministry cited “health reasons”.
Instead, Wang Yi, Qin’s predecessor and now Xi Jinping’s foreign policy adviser, stepped in and even took over talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
At the same time, TV presenter Fu Xiaotian has not been seen for some time, as has her young son.
The Cambridge-educated presenter is one of the most prominent figures on Chinese television and frequently interviews the state’s top officials.
This has prompted rumors, particularly in the Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, that the two may have been having an affair.
Social media users pointed to “tender flirting” observed between Qin and Fu in an interview in Washington DC in March last year.
Users also noted Fu’s often flirtatious interview technique when speaking to politicians.
“But when she turns her attention to a senior Chinese official, she may have violated the rules of China’s Ministry of State Security,” said one user, as reported by The Times.
TV presenter Fu Xiaotian, 40, has also not been seen for some time after a flirtatious interview between her and Qin surfaced
Social media users pointed to “tender flirting” observed between Qin and Fu in an interview in Washington DC in March last year
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Beijing on Friday, April 14, 2023
Chinese human rights activist Lin Shengliang noted that Qin became China’s ambassador to the US in 2021. The allegedly “flirty” interview took place in March 2022. In November of the same year, Fu gave birth to her child.
Fu then reportedly shared a picture of her son on the social media platform Weibo with the comment “a winning opening” when Qin was promoted to the State Council. This has led some to speculate that she was congratulating the now Foreign Secretary.
Then, in her last social media post before disappearing from public appearance, Fu shared pictures of a jet, a screenshot of the interview with Qin, and a picture of her with her son.
Interference in affairs is not uncommon for China’s top officials, but it can be used as a pretext to remove from office those who have come into conflict with the leadership.