(Reuters) -Liu Jianchao, a senior Chinese diplomat who is generally seen as a potential future Minister of Foreign Affairs, was removed by the authorities for interrogation, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
Liu was taken away after his return to Beijing from a foreign work trip at the end of July, WSJ reported, referring to people who are familiar with the issue.
The Chinese Information Office for the State Council, which deals with media questions for the Chinese government, and the Chinese Communist Party International Liaison Department did not respond immediately to Reuters' request for comment.
Liu, 61, has led the body of the Communist Party that is responsible for managing ties with foreign political parties. Since he played the role in 2022, he has traveled to more than 20 countries and met officials from more than 160 countries.
Liu's busy schedule, especially his meetings with the former State Secretary of the American Antony shine in Washington, raised the expectations that the former spokesperson for ambassador and the Ministry was taken care of to be the next Minister of Foreign Affairs.
His detention marks the probe at the highest level in which a diplomat is involved, because China was Foreign Minister and the Protégé of President Xi Jinping, Qin Gang, drove out in 2023 after rumors about an illegitimate affair.
Liu, born in the northeastern province of Jilin, studied in English at Beijing Foreign Studies University and studied international relations in Oxford before taking his first position as a translator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He served in the Chinese mission to Great Britain and later as an ambassador in Indonesia and the Philippines.
During his time as spokesperson for the ministry, he was known for humorous off-the-manchet comments while making a no-nonsense defense of Chinese interests.
(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski in Beijing and Chandni Shah in Bengaluru; Edit by Christian Schmollinger and Saad Sayeed)
