China’s former foreign minister, Qin Gang, had a secret relationship with a well-known Chinese TV host, Fu Xiaotian, according to a report by the Financial Times.
Fu, who used a surrogate mother to have a child in the United States, was in a romantic relationship with Qin.
The report suggests that Fu had a child through surrogacy, but it didn’t reveal the father’s identity.
Qin Gang, aged 57, had recently vanished from the public eye and was subsequently removed from his position as foreign minister, which added to the mystery surrounding his departure.
The Chinese government has not provided any explanation for Qin’s removal, and they have avoided answering questions about it from foreign journalists.
When asked about this latest report, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed it as “not a diplomatic issue.”
China’s State Council Information Office and Phoenix TV, where Fu used to work, have not commented on the matter.
Qin and Fu have also not been reachable for comments.
In China, it’s not unusual for public figures to disappear from the public eye for an extended period during investigations before any official information is released about their situation.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese officials were informed of an internal Communist Party investigation that found Qin had engaged in an extramarital affair that led to the birth of a child while he was China’s envoy to Washington.
The official reason for his dismissal was cited as “lifestyle issues,” often a term used for sexual misconduct.
The names of the woman and child were not disclosed to officials.
An investigation is currently underway to determine if Qin’s alleged affair and other actions may have affected China’s national security.
Yun Sun, the director of the China program at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington, stated that while affairs are not uncommon in Chinese politics, there are few known cases of top leaders having children resulting from such relationships.
If Qin was indeed removed due to his alleged affair, it would be a unique case in Chinese politics.
Rumors about Qin and Fu’s alleged affair had been circulating on Chinese social media for months, ever since Qin disappeared from the public eye in June.
Fu, who gained fame for hosting the Phoenix TV program “Talk with World Leaders,” had interviewed Qin when he served as the Chinese ambassador to Washington.
Fu and Qin first met in London around 2010 when she was working at Phoenix TV’s London bureau, and Qin was China’s chargé d’affaires in the UK.
Their relationship became closer nearly a decade later in Beijing.
As Qin’s appointment as foreign minister neared in December of the previous year, he began reducing contact with Fu, which prompted her to drop hints about their relationship on social media.
Fu’s social media posts have been scrutinized since Qin’s disappearance.
In one post, she revealed her baby’s face, claiming that the child’s father was not American and that they would return to China soon.
Fu also posted photos of a lavish lifestyle, including private jet trips and a luxury residence in California, raising questions about the source of her wealth.
Fu had a decade-long career in journalism, and her wealth has led to speculation.
Her alma mater, Churchill College at Cambridge University, named a garden after her following her donation to the school.
However, the amount of her donation remains confidential.
Fu’s last social media post was in April, where she mentioned returning to China with her son Er-Kin.
Flight records show that she left the United States on a private jet and arrived in Beijing in April.
The relationship between Qin and Fu remains a topic of intrigue and speculation in China’s media and social circles.
