International
China appoints its US envoy Qin Gang as new Foreign Minister
On Friday, President Xi Jinping’s longtime assistant Qin Gang was named as China’s next Foreign Minister.
Wang Yi, China’s former foreign minister for the previous ten years, is replaced by Qin Gang who served as ambassador to the United States.Wang, 69, has been elevated to the high-power Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
“Congratulations to H.E. Qin Gang @AmbQinGang for his appointment as China’s new Foreign Minister! Looking forward to a splendid new chapter in China’s diplomacy,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson and Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying tweeted.
The new administration to be headed by the new Premier is scheduled to take over during the annual Parliament session slated to be held from March 5 next year.
A new central cabinet called the State Council, replacing the present one headed by Premier Li Keqiang, will take charge during the annual session of the country’s parliament — the National People’s Congress (NPC) — scheduled to be held from March 5.
Except President Xi Jinping, all top officials and ministers will be replaced during the Parliament session. Li, 67, will formally retire after completing his 10-year stint.
Meanwhile, an official announcement on Friday said while the NPC will begin its annual session on March 5, its advisory body China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will begin on March 4.
The annual session includes reviewing the government work report and examining the report on the implementation of the annual plan on national economic and social development for 2022 and the draft plan on national economic and social development for 2023.
