China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang will be unable to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Jakarta, Indonesia this week due to health issues, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Top diplomat Wang Yi, a former foreign minister and current head of the ruling Communist Party's Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, will represent China at the meetings scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin provided no specifics regarding Qin's health condition, who has been out of public view for over two weeks. This announcement comes shortly after Wang Yi sparked controversy with remarks about Westerners' perceived inability to differentiate between Chinese, Korean, and Japanese people, suggesting a potential alliance based on shared racial and cultural heritage despite the distinct societies and political systems of these nations.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed Wang Yi's attendance in Qin's place at the ASEAN summit. Wang's participation will encompass several key meetings, including the China-ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting, the ASEAN-China-Japan-South Korea foreign ministers’ meeting, the East Asia Summit foreign ministers' meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum foreign ministers’ meeting.

China has been actively engaging with the ten ASEAN member states, primarily through trade, as part of a broader strategy to counter U.S. influence in the region and challenge the established American-led world order. However, China's ambitions in the South China Sea, where it asserts extensive territorial claims overlapping with those of ASEAN members Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, have created tensions. These nations have generally welcomed the U.S. military presence in the area, while China criticizes it as external interference.

Wang Wenbin emphasized the importance of the foreign ministers' meeting as a venue for strengthening trust and cooperation, expressing China's hope that it would contribute to a productive ASEAN leaders’ summit in September and promote regional stability and prosperity.

Qin, known for his assertive diplomatic style often referred to as "wolf warrior diplomacy," has been a prominent figure in Chinese foreign policy. His background includes roles as ambassador to the United States and head of protocol for the ministry. In March, he issued a warning to Washington about potential conflict and confrontation, highlighting the existing tensions over Taiwan, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. This followed accusations by Xi Jinping that Western governments, led by the U.S., were attempting to contain and suppress China.

Qin's last public appearance, as documented on the Foreign Ministry's website, was a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry in Beijing on June 25. While the "wolf warrior" approach has been adopted by numerous high-ranking Chinese diplomats, it has also seen periods of disfavor. A notable example is the reassignment of former ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, a prominent figure in the "wolf warrior" style, to a less prominent role.

In contrast, Xie Feng, the current Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., has maintained a generally positive tone since assuming his post in May, despite the strained relationship between the two economic superpowers.

The lack of transparency within China's political system often fuels speculation surrounding the absence of prominent figures, similar to the unexplained removal of former Chinese President Hu Jintao from a major political event. While internal power struggles and corruption scandals are not uncommon, the Communist Party maintains a public image of unity under Xi Jinping's leadership.