Qin Gang replaced by predecessor Wang Yi
Foreign Minister Qin Gang was removed from his post on Tuesday, with his predecessor Wang Yi again taking up the position. The announcement was made after the National People's Congress Standing Committee held a meeting in Beijing on official appointments. Qin, 57, took over from Wang as foreign minister in December after having served as the vice foreign minister and China's ambassador to the United States. Qin was last seen in public in late June meeting officials from Sri Lanka, Russia and Vietnam in Beijing. He did not attend Asean meetings in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, earlier this month, with the Foreign Ministry citing "health reasons" for his absence. Asked about Qin earlier on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning repeatedly told reporters that she had "no information to offer." China's top diplomat Wang has in recent weeks taken on some of Qin's responsibilities. Wang, 69, is a politburo member and the director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission. Separately, Yi Gang was removed from the post of governor of the People’s Bank of China, with his deputy Pan Gongsheng taking over.