Hard Line in the West: China Appoints “Wolf Warrior” Qin as Foreign Minister

A hard line to the west
China appointed “Wolf Warrior” as foreign minister

12/31/2022 1:33 am

Qin Gang sworn in as China’s new foreign minister. He previously served as ambassador to Washington. The 56-year-old is known for his tough streak in the West.

China has appointed its former ambassador to the US, Qin Gang, as its new foreign minister. According to Chinese state media, the 56-year-old replaces Wang Yi, the chief diplomat who has held the position since 2013. Qin is also known as the “Wolf Warrior” in China, meaning it represents a fierce stance against the West. The US government has said it wants to work well with the new secretary of state.

A native of the northeastern city of Tianjin, Qin has been Beijing’s top representative in Washington since last year and is charged with getting ties between the world’s two largest economies back on track. He is fluent in English and has gained some popularity in the United States by publicly explaining China’s position on several occasions.

In 2020, China’s image in the West has deteriorated because Europe and the United States have never accepted the Chinese political system and the country’s economic rise, Qin said. In Qin’s view, the People’s Republic had little to learn from the West. From 2018 to last year, Qin served as Deputy Foreign Minister. Prior to 2018, he frequently met with President Xi Jinping as head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ethics department. The diplomat previously served as a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for several years.

At the State Department in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken looks forward to “continuing a constructive working relationship with Secretary of State Qin in his new role.” The US government will “continue to maintain open lines of communication” to “responsibly” shape relations with the People’s Republic of China. Blinken plans to visit Beijing in early 2023.