Top Chinese envoy vanishes amid rumours of an affair with well-known TV presenter
China’s foreign minister appears to have disappeared from public view, fueling speculation that he is 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 violated the leadership of the communist state after only assuming the role in December.
Qin was seamlessly elevated through the ranks of the Chinese Communist Party, spending time as ambassador to the UK and US. He made a name for himself for 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 particularly long time for a Secretary of State not to be seen in public.
This has led some to claim that he may have had an affair with a popular TV presenter Fu Xiaotian, 40, who has also not been seen for a while after a filter interview surfaced between them.
Rumors are circulating, especially in the Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, that Qin and Fu may have had an affair after a “flirta.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a joint press conference with Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt in Oslo in May
Fu Xiaotian is a presenter and producer of Talk With World Leaders on Chinese TV channel Phoenix
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 instead, even taking the helm to hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
At the same time, television host Fu Xiaotian has also not been seen for a while, as has her little son.
The Cambridge-trained presenter is one of the most prominent figures on Chinese television and regularly interviews top state officials.
This has led to rumors, especially in the Taiwanese and Hong Kong press, that the two may have been having an affair.
Social media users pointed to “affectionate flirting” seen between Qin and Fu in an interview in Washington DC last March.
Users also noticed Fu’s oft-filtered interview technique when speaking to politicians.
“But if she turns her attention to a high-ranking Chinese official, she may have violated the regulations of China’s Ministry of State Security,” said one user, as reported by The Times.
Television host Fu Xiaotian, 40, has also not been seen for a while after a filter interview between her and Qin surfaced
Social media users pointed to “affectionate flirting” seen between Qin and Fu in an interview in Washington DC last March
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. Fu subsequently gave birth to her child in November of that year.
Subsequently, Fu allegedly shared a photo of her son on the social media platform Weibo with the comment “a victorious opening” when Qin was promoted to state councilor. This has led some to speculate that she was congratulating the now Secretary of State.
Then, in her last post on social media before disappearing from public, Fu shared photos of a jet, a screenshot of the interview with Qin, and a photo of her with her son.
Involvement in affairs is not uncommon for top Chinese officials, but can be used as a pretext to remove those who have fallen in defiance of leadership.