As I See It | Mideast plan shows China’s diplomatic strength while foreign affairs reshuffle is filled with intrigue and surprises
- Observers and diplomats have voiced concerns about some promotions which were major departures from precedents and vaguely established criteria
- Lack of predictability and transparency in personnel appointments will hardly help Beijing boost plummeting morale in the diplomatic service
Beijing has seized the opportunity to stick a finger in Washington’s eye by showcasing its diplomatic prowess in the Middle East, where America’s role as a security provider is under question.
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China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang hits out at US on Ukraine, rate hikes and Taiwan
China’s biggest diplomatic shake-up in over a decade, which began more than two years ago and was wrapped up on Sunday after the unveiling of a new State Council, the mainland’s cabinet, has been full of intrigue and surprises.
Defying an unwritten age limit of 68 for party elites, Wang, 69, then a state councillor, was retained and became Xi’s top foreign policy aide, replacing Yang Jiechi, 72, who had been the country’s most powerful diplomat in nearly a decade.
