Liu Jianchao, a senior Chinese diplomat and head of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) International Department, has been detained for questioning, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar with the matter. The 61-year-old, seen as a potential future foreign minister, was taken into custody in late July 2025 upon returning to Beijing from an overseas trip, sending ripples through China’s diplomatic and political circles.
No official confirmation has been issued by Chinese authorities, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CPC International Department, and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) remaining silent on inquiries. Liu’s last public engagement was leading a CPC delegation at the Liberation Movements Summit in South Africa on July 28, followed by visits to Singapore and Algeria. The department’s website still lists him as minister, featuring photos and statements from his recent international meetings.
Liu’s detention, the highest-profile diplomatic probe since the 2023 ouster of former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, comes ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, 2025. Liu, a close ally of President Xi Jinping, wielded significant influence over China’s foreign policy, managing ties with foreign political parties and socialist nations. His role gained prominence after meetings with global leaders, including India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on July 14, 2025, to discuss post-Ladakh standoff normalization.
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Born in Jilin, Liu studied English at Beijing Foreign Studies University and international relations at Oxford (1986-87). His career spans roles as a foreign ministry translator, spokesperson during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and ambassador to the Philippines (2009-11) and Indonesia (2011-13). Liu also played a key role in Xi’s anti-corruption campaign, leading the CCDI’s international cooperation wing and Zhejiang’s supervisory commission in 2017. Since 2022, as head of the International Department, he engaged with over 160 countries, including a notable 2024 meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The timing of Liu’s detention raises questions about its implications for China’s foreign policy, especially with the SCO summit approaching, where leaders from India, Russia, and Central Asian nations are expected. Analysts, like Alfred Wu from the National University of Singapore, suggest corruption as a likely cause, given Xi’s ongoing crackdown, which has disciplined over 6.2 million officials since 2012. However, some speculate internal politics or Liu’s high-profile U.S. engagements may have drawn scrutiny.
Posts on X reflect shock and speculation, with users noting the unpredictability of Xi’s regime, where even loyalists face purges. Liu’s detention follows Qin Gang’s 2023 removal amid unconfirmed rumors of an extramarital affair, highlighting the opacity of China’s internal probes. As Beijing remains tight-lipped, the diplomatic community braces for potential shifts in China’s global outreach.
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