China Removes Senior Diplomat Sun Weidong as Vice Foreign Minister

In a surprise personnel shake-up, China’s State Council has dismissed Sun Weidong from his position as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, the latest in a series of high-level official removals under President Xi Jinping’s administration.

The announcement, made through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Tuesday, was brief and offered no explanation for the decision. It simply stated that Sun had been removed from the vice foreign minister post, alongside other routine appointments and dismissals, including the naming of Zhao Wenfang as deputy head of the National Railway Administration.

Sun Weidong, a veteran diplomat, previously served as China’s ambassador to both India and Pakistan. In his role at the Foreign Ministry, he oversaw Asian affairs, including sensitive issues related to the Korean Peninsula. His removal leaves the ministry with a reduced lineup of vice ministers.

The move comes amid a broader pattern of abrupt personnel changes in Beijing. Observers note that such dismissals have become increasingly common, often linked to Xi’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, though official statements rarely provide details on the reasons behind individual cases.

No immediate successor has been named, and the Foreign Ministry has not issued any public comment on the implications for China’s regional diplomacy.