Second senior Chinese diplomat detained for questioning, sources say

15/8/2025 15:31

A deputy to a prominent Chinese diplomat being questioned by authorities was also detained, three people with knowledge of the matter said, a further sign of uncertainty in the top echelons of China's diplomacy.



Sun Haiyan, a senior diplomat and former ambassador to Singapore, was detained in early August around the time Liu Jianchao, widely seen as a potential foreign minister candidate, was taken in for questioning, two of the people said.



Sun, the first woman to serve as vice minister of the Communist Party's International Department, was detained by Chinese authorities in connection with the questioning of Liu, the sources said.



None of the sources knew the basis of the questioning of either diplomat. The sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.



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



His detention followed a work trip to Singapore, South Africa and Algeria. His house was searched in early August.