Chinese diplomat reappears at Indian embassy event in Beijing

A senior Chinese diplomat has reappeared in Beijing after reports that she had been detained for questioning by authorities in connection with an investigation involving a top government official.

Sun Haiyan, a former ambassador to Singapore who now serves as vice minister of the Communist Party’s International Department, attended a reception hosted by the Indian embassy in Beijing on Friday. She met with India’s ambassador at the event, which was held to mark India’s Independence Day, according to a statement published by the International Department. The statement came hours after Reuters reported that Sun had been detained for questioning.

Reuters had earlier said Sun was held this month, and at the reception she was asked about the matter. The news service reported that she did not comment directly on whether she had been detained or questioned, and quoted her as describing the Reuters report as “irresponsible.”

Sun works under Liu Jianchao, head of the Communist Party’s International Department, who has long been seen as a likely successor to Wang Yi as China’s top diplomat. Wang returned to the post of foreign minister in July 2023, after Qin Gang was suddenly removed from the position less than a year into his tenure.

Citing three people familiar with the developments, Reuters reported that Sun was detained around the same time Liu was taken in for questioning. The report added that the reasons for their detentions were unclear.

The Communist Party’s International Department, led by Liu, is responsible for building links with foreign political parties.

According to Reuters, the disappearance of Sun, a vice minister in the department, alongside the high-profile Liu, has raised further questions over China’s foreign policy establishment. This comes at a time of heightened tensions with Washington over trade issues and geopolitical influence.

At the Independence Day reception in Beijing, Sun offered congratulations to India and remarked that relations between the two countries were maintaining “a momentum of improvement and development.”

The International Department in teh statement said, China is ready to work with India to put into practice the key understandings reached between the leaders of the two nations, build greater political trust, expand exchanges and cooperation, and push for steady growth in their relations. The Communist Party of China also said it is open to holding talks with all Indian political parties and aims to play an active role in improving and advancing ties between the two countries.

The two Asian neighbours have witnessed signs of a thaw in ties. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China in August, which would mark his first trip there in seven years.

The two countries began a gradual process of restoring relations late last year, following the deadly border clash in 2020 that had brought ties to their lowest point in decades.

Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is due in New Delhi on Monday, according to Beijing’s Foreign Ministry, which confirmed his trip on Saturday as reported by Reuters. The visit comes as both sides seek to keep tensions under control while looking for opportunities for cooperation.

Earlier this week, the Economic Times reported that India and China are expected to open discussions soon on a potential trade package covering rare earth magnets, fertilisers and pharmaceuticals. The package would signal further thawing of relations even as India faces calls from industry to ease imports of critical inputs from China at a time of rising strain in China’s relations with the United States.

(with Bloomberg inputs)