Rumors are raging about the mysterious demise of China’s top diplomat, Qin Gang

Chen Gang, China’s foreign minister, has been missing from the public eye for nearly three weeks, prompting speculation about his whereabouts.

Chen did not appear at the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia last week. He also canceled a meeting with the European Union’s foreign policy coordinator, Josep Borrellaround the same time.

An EU spokesperson said they had been told the dates were “no longer possible” and offered no further explanation.

He was last seen in public at a meeting with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on June 25. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said at the time that they “exchanged views on Sino-Russian relations and common international and regional issues. Interest and concern.”

The apparent disappearance of Chen, who is believed to have close ties to Chinese President Xi Jinping and who only assumed the post in December, comes at a particularly busy diplomatic period, fueling speculation that there may be trouble afoot or an early sign of uncertainty. politics in Beijing.

It was later revealed that some Chinese officials who had been previously reported missing, including Meng HongweiThe head of Interpol and a senior Chinese security official disappeared for several days in 2018.

Chen’s meeting with Borrell came just days after European countries agreed on a strategy that would include Getting important materials from outside of ChinaAfter pressing Beijing to take a more assertive stance against Russia’s war in Ukraine. Beijing has so far failed to condemn the war and has outlined a so-called peace plan that does not include a measure that would see Russia withdraw its forces from Ukraine.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a press conference last week that Chen did not attend the ASEAN meeting for “health reasons,” according to the China Post. Reuters. According to Chen, he missed the meeting due to his “physical condition.” Taipei Times. The spokesman refused to disclose the details of the case.

But Chinese officials have since shot down that justification and speculation that his relationship with a TV personality is causing him trouble, according to New York times.

Chen met US Secretary of State Tony Blinken last month in China amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over China’s spy balloon that has floated across the US and China’s increasingly aggressive behavior toward Taiwan.

Prior to that meeting, Chen had warned the United States to “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs,” but once the two men began discussions, Blinken and Kane had a “frank, substantive and constructive” meeting, according to a State Department readout.

Since then, top Biden administration officials have continued their visits to Chinese officials at a steady clip — but without any mention of Chen.

Earlier this month, Janet Yellen met with China’s new economic team, including the new president, Vice Premier He Lifeng, To deepen bilateral contacts.

John KerryBiden’s envoy on climate change kicked off a round of talks Monday in Beijing with China’s top climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua. The meetings represent the first official meetings on the subject since last August, when Beijing halted its dealings with the United States after then-Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Relations so far appear to be cordial, according to New York times.

Kerry’s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether Kerry had plans to meet with Chen.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.