Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Qin Gang was removed from his post Tuesday and replaced by his predecessor, fueling speculation of personal rivalries within the Chinese Communist Party, according to The Associated Press.
Qin has served as foreign minister since the end of December but has not made any public appearances since late June. The party gave no explanation for the cabinet change, which is normal for moves in the Chinese government.
Wang Yi will take over as minister of foreign affairs for a second stint after serving for nearly a decade from 2013 to this past December.
Qin was absent from an international summit in Indonesia last week, fueling speculation over his job security. The ministry blamed Qin’s health for the absence.
The change comes as the U.S. ramps up its attempts to mend relations with China amid rising tensions. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing last month, meeting with both Qin and Wang, as well as other senior officials including President Xi Jinping.
A State Department spokesperson described those talks as “productive.”
Blinken and Qin discussed “the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication across the full range of issues to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said last month.
The U.S. and China are dealing with ongoing tensions regarding China’s relationship with Russia, trade and patent disputes and U.S. support for Taiwan.