China indicated its legislature will refrain from announcing any personnel moves during its meeting this week, meaning Wang Yi will likely remain in the role for at least the near future.
Personnel appointments were absent from an agenda for the National People’s Congress released on Monday by the official Xinhua News Agency. This suggests the weeklong meeting starting Tuesday won’t reveal a replacement for Wang, who retook the role after Qin Gang was ousted in July without explanation.
Qin recently stepped down from the country’s top legislative body. The move means he loses immunity from criminal prosecution, although he hasn’t been officially accused of any wrongdoing. Beijing has said little about the status and whereabouts of Qin, who was foreign minister for just seven months, the shortest tenure ever in China.
There’s been speculation regarding the position after a tumultuous year of abrupt personnel moves that projected instability in the Chinese government just as it seeks to boost confidence in its economy. Speculation on a replacement has focused on career diplomat Liu Jianchao, who heads the Communist Party’s diplomatic arm.
The likely next opportunity for China to name a new foreign minister is April, when the legislature’s Standing Committee meets.