China’s foreign minister has apparently disappeared from public view, fueling speculation that he has been having an affair with a well-known TV presenter.
Rumors continue to circulate that Qin Gang, known for his aggressive approach as one of the ‘Wolf Warrior’ diplomats, may have fallen out of favor with the leadership of the communist state after taking office in December.
Qin rose smoothly through the ranks of the Communist Party of China, spending time as ambassador to the UK and US. He made a name for himself through his aggressive approach to 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 25. This is a peculiarly long time for a foreign minister not to be seen in public.
This has prompted some to claim that she may have been having an affair with a popular TV host Fu Xiaotian, 40, who has also not been seen for some time after a flirty interview surfaced between them.
Rumors have circulated, especially in the Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, that Qin and Fu may have had an affair after a “flirty interview”.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a joint press conference with Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt in Oslo in May.
Fu Xiaotian is a host and producer of Talk With World Leaders on Phoenix TV in China.
China’s foreign ministry initially declined to comment on the minister’s apparent disappearance.
However, when he failed to show up for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Jakarta as scheduled last week, the ministry cited “health reasons.”
Wang Yi, Qin’s predecessor and now Xi Jinping’s foreign affairs adviser, stepped in for him, even taking charge of holding talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
At the same time, TV host Fu Xiaotian has also not been seen for some time, as well as her young son.
The Cambridge-educated presenter is one of the most prominent figures on Chinese television and frequently interviews top state officials.
This has caused rumors to circulate, especially in the Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, that the two may have had an affair.
Social media users pointed to the ‘affectionate flirtation’ seen between Qin and Fu in an interview in Washington DC in March last year.
Users also noted Fu’s often flirtatious interview technique when talking to politicians.
“But when you turn your attention to a high-ranking Chinese official, you may have violated Chinese Ministry of State Security regulations,” said one user, The Times reported.
TV host 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 the ‘affectionate flirtation’ seen 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 “flirtatious” interview took place in March 2022. Fu gave birth to their son in November that anus.
Later, it is alleged that Fu shared a photo of his son on the social media platform Weibo with the comment “a victorious opening” when Qin was promoted to state councilor. This has caused some to speculate that he was congratulating the now foreign minister.
Then, in her last social media post before disappearing from public appearance, Fu shared photos of an airplane, a screenshot of the interview with Qin, and a photo of herself with her son.
Getting involved in affairs is not unusual for China’s top officials, but it can be used as a pretext for removing those who have fallen out of favor with the leadership.
I am Rakesh Sharma, I associated with Elite News as an Editor, since 2021. I take care of all the news operations like content, budget, hiring and policy making.