Prominent Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao taken for questioning, sources say

Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, widely seen as a potential foreign minister, was taken away by authorities for questioning in early August, five people familiar with the matter said.

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Mr. Liu, 61, was detained after returning from a work trip to Singapore, South Africa and Algeria, which ended on July 30, according to the sources. His house was searched by authorities in early August, two of the people said.

The people did not know why the authorities questioned Mr. Liu. They could not be named for safety reasons. Mr, Liu’s detention was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Liu’s detention marks the highest-level disappearance of a diplomat since China ousted its former foreign minister and President Xi Jinping’s protégé, Qin Gang, in 2023 following an unexplained public absence.