China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang resigns from Parliament
Beijing: In a surprise move, former Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who went missing after being unceremoniously fired last year, resigned ahead of the key annual session of China’s national legislature next week.
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) concluded its session here on Tuesday and said in a statement that the Tianjin Municipal People’s Congress accepted Qin’s resignation as a delegate to the upcoming annual parliamentary session, state news agency Xinhua reported. Have done. ,
The NPC is considered China’s rubber-stamp parliament for routine approval of the ruling Communist Party’s agenda, with its annual session scheduled to begin on March 5 to legislate on a host of new laws and steps to revive the country’s economy. Will be discussed, which is in recession. Method
According to a report by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, the NPC statement said that Qin had not been dismissed or expelled from the NPC, but had resigned.
Qin, 57, considered a close confidant of President Xi Jinping, was dismissed in a major political surprise in July after seven months in office.
Later, the NPC passed a resolution dismissing Qin and reappointing his predecessor Wang Yi, who is also director of the ruling Communist Party’s Foreign Affairs Commission.
This is the first time Qin’s name has surfaced as his resignation from the NPC is considered a technical necessity.
It was rumored that he was fired because of an extramarital affair.
According to the Post report, Qin’s resignation announcement also coincides with the removal of dismissed former defense minister General Li Shangfu from the Central Military Commission (CMC) – the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi Jinping.
Lee, who heads the country’s rocket (missile) forces, was dismissed as defense minister and state councilor without any official explanation earlier in October.
His ouster followed a major purge of the Chinese military, with nine senior People’s Liberation Army (PLA) generals, including senior officers of the country’s rocket force, being dismissed by parliament in December.
Like Qin, General Li, who was considered close to Xi, disappeared from public view. His sudden dismissal shocked top CPC officials.
The announcement of his expulsion from the CMC will reportedly help tie up some loose ends ahead of next month’s annual session of the NPC and advisory body Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Questions have also been raised about the fate of Li’s predecessor, General Wei Fenghe, as he was not included in the list of senior officers who received Lunar New Year greetings from the leadership – a common courtesy. Wei has not been seen in public since, the Post reports.
General Lee replaced former navy chief General Dong Jun. He has not yet been given the post of state councilor or a seat on the CMC, which all previous defense ministers have received. PTI KJV झ एकज झ झ झ