*BEIJING:* Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi retained his job and was alsopromoted to a state councillor on Monday, meaning he now has the country’stwo top diplomat roles, in a vote of confidence for his strong defence ofChina’s interests.
Sources had previously told Reuters that Wang would probably become a statecouncillor with responsibility for foreign affairs, and that he may alsokeep his job as foreign minister. He has been likened to a “silver fox” inChina’s state media, and online, for his looks and his staunch defence ofChinese positions, which has won him a loyal following. Foreign diplomatssay he can be suave and charming, as well as tough.
Wang has won plaudits in China for his tough line on issues like thedisputed South China Sea and quick-witted quips – to counter criticism ofChina. Wang, 64, has been China’s foreign minister since 2013. A careerdiplomat and fluent Japanese speaker, Wang has also served as China’sambassador in Tokyo and head of China’s policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office.
The country’s parliament approved Wang’s job in a mostly ceremonial vote inthe Great Hall of the People with reporters present.
State councillors, who report to the Cabinet, are more senior than theministers responsible for the same portfolio. It is possible to be both aminister and state councillor at the same time.
In his new role, Wang will continue to advise and inform top leaders tohelp implement President Xi Jinping’s vision to raise China’s diplomaticprofile globally, according to Shi Yinghong, an expert on Chinese diplomacyat Renmin University in Beijing.
It was not immediately clear what position former state councillor YangJiechi would get. Diplomatic sources said previously he may have become avice premier, but his name was not included in the list for that position.Yang still sits on the Communist Party’s Politburo, the second-largest ofthe party’s elite ruling bodies, meaning he will retain an influentialvoice in China’s foreign policy.
Previously China’s foreign minister himself, Yang speaks perfect Englishbut has a low-key public profile and rarely talks to foreign reporters.Yang has served as one of China’s main go-betweens with the Trumpadministration, with his deep knowledge of the United States coming fromprevious stints in the Chinese embassy in Washington, including asambassador from 2000-2004.
Newly appointed Vice President Wang Qishan, a key ally of President XiJinping, is likely to have handling the Trump administration and festeringtrade tensions between the two countries as part of his job. China alsogets a new defence minister, Wei Fenghe, who already sits on the CentralMilitary Commission (CMC) which runs China’s armed forces. Wei has beenappointed to a state councillor as well. Agencies