Liu Jianchao, a senior Chinese diplomat widely viewed as a candidate for foreign minister, has been detained by authorities, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The report, citing sources familiar with the matter, said Liu was taken in late July after returning to Beijing from an overseas work trip.
Liu, 61, heads the Chinese Communist Party's International Liaison Department, which manages ties with foreign political parties. Since assuming the role in 2022, he has visited over 20 countries and met officials from more than 160 nations. His high-profile engagements, including meetings with former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had fuelled speculation that he was being groomed to become China's next foreign minister.
The detention marks the highest-level investigation involving a diplomat since Qin Gang, a former foreign minister and protege of President Xi Jinping, was removed from his post in 2023 amid rumours of an extramarital affair. China's State Council Information Office and the International Liaison Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Born in Jilin province, Liu studied English at Beijing Foreign Studies University and international relations at Oxford University. He began his career as a translator at the foreign ministry and later served in China's mission to Britain, as well as ambassador to Indonesia and the Philippines. As a ministry spokesperson, he was known for combining humour with a firm defence of China's interests.
