Liu Jianchao, senior Chinese diplomat and head of the International Department, faces investigation after returning from an overseas trip (ANI)
The 61-year-old Liu Jianchao, a veteran Chinese diplomat and head of the Communist Party's International Department, is reportedly under house arrest after having been questioned on his return from abroad at the end of July.
Liu was widely seen as the frontrunner for the foreign minister post, and his sudden disappearance has put many whispers into circulation in China's political and diplomatic communities. It is not made clear what the reason for Liu's detention is, as no official comment has come from relevant authorities up till now, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the party's disciplinary commission.
Career-wise, Liu's was one shining with diplomatic work and anti-corruption over the decades. Now 61, he earned his reputation on foreign diplomacy and in party discipline enforcement--as ambassador to the Philippines and the Republic of Indonesia, assistant foreign minister, and greatly in the role of spokesman during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
From there, he'll diverge into anti-corruption work and Within Xi's Fox Hunt campaign become a known factor, targeting officials accused of corruption abroad. He subsequently made a return to high-level diplomacy and became the head of the International Department in 2022.
Liu's being detained would, since the downfall of 2023-a-foreign-minister-Qin-Gang, the highest disciplinary inquiry ever faced by a Chinese diplomat. The investigations behind Qin Gang's ouster were believed to have focused on issues of personal conduct and loyalty: the two principles now considered consequential under Xi's rule.
Analysts are saying Liu's matter could further tighten the atmosphere in which senior officials exist, particularly concerning foreign policy, where strategic acumen is increasingly measured against political loyalty.
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In early 2024, Liu visited the United States to meet with American officials, investors, and think tanks to ensure stable U.S.-Chinese relations. Liu was praised internationally for his diplomatic skill, but reportedly internally in Beijing some cohorts thought aspects of the trip bordered on political misalignment--the way in which he seemed to market himself as the next foreign minister ahead of any official announcement would have certainly played into some internal political sensitivities that often guide personnel decisions in China's upper echelons.
Xi Jinping's anti-graft drive that began in 2012 has punished millions of party members for various offenses, from corruption to discipline violations. The campaign has gone well into the diplomatic arena, meaning that no branch of the government is exempt from scrutiny. If Liu's detention is confirmed, it will demonstrate the unpredictability and reach of this ongoing political enforcement.
Liu's fate is still uncertain; his removal from active duties is already a major loss to China's diplomatic apparatus at a time when Beijing is confronted with grave international challenges.
