Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, widely regarded as a potential future foreign minister, has been detained by authorities for questioning, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Liu, 61, was taken into custody after returning to Beijing in late July from an overseas work trip. The reason for his detention has not been disclosed.

China’s State Council Information Office, which handles media queries for the central government, and the Chinese Communist Party’s International Liaison Department — the body Liu currently heads — did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Liu has led the Communist Party’s International Liaison Department since 2022, a post that involves managing relations with foreign political parties. In this role, he has visited more than 20 nations and met officials from over 160 countries. His high-profile diplomatic activity, including a meeting in Washington with then–US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had fuelled speculation that he was being groomed to become China’s next foreign minister.

If confirmed, Liu’s detention would represent the highest-level investigation involving a Chinese diplomat since the dramatic ouster of Qin Gang in 2023. Qin, a close protégé of President Xi Jinping, was removed from his post as foreign minister amid unconfirmed rumours of an extramarital affair.

Veteran Diplomatic Career

Born in China’s northeastern province of Jilin, Liu majored in English at Beijing Foreign Studies University before pursuing further studies in international relations at the University of Oxford. He began his career as a translator in China’s foreign ministry, later serving in the country’s mission to Britain.

Liu went on to hold ambassadorial roles in Indonesia and the Philippines. During his tenure as the foreign ministry’s spokesperson, he earned a reputation for mixing humour with a firm defence of Beijing’s positions, often delivering pointed rebuttals to foreign criticism while maintaining a polished diplomatic style.

Political Significance

The detention of a figure of Liu’s stature could signal turbulence in China’s upper diplomatic ranks, where personnel changes are rare but often carry political undertones. Analysts note that investigations of senior officials in China are typically linked to allegations of corruption or breaches of party discipline, though such probes are not always made public.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Liu’s sudden disappearance from public view has drawn attention in diplomatic circles, given his prominent role in shaping China’s global outreach at a time of heightened tensions with the United States and its allies.

Chinese authorities have not issued any official statement on Liu’s whereabouts or the nature of the investigation.