The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website shows that Mao Ning, former Deputy Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department, has been promoted to Director, while Hua Chunying, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will no longer serve as Director of the Information Department. There have been recent intensive personnel changes in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with some analysts suggesting that Wang Yi may step down as Minister of Foreign Affairs and could potentially be at risk in internal power struggles.
Mao Ning, aged 52, previously served as Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in the United States, Deputy Director of the Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also held a concurrent position as Deputy Mayor of Leshan City in Sichuan Province. Mao Ning returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 5, 2022, as Deputy Director of the Information Department and spokesperson, ranking above Zhao Lijian, who was later transferred out.
After Mao Ning took office, there were reports from self-media revealing his background as a relative of the late Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong. He is said to be from Xiangtan, Hunan, and related to Mao Zedong as his cousin once removed. His father, Mao Yifa, and Mao Zedong’s father, Mao Yichang, have the same generation character “Yi.”
Independent commentator Du Zheng has stated that this disclosure was likely orchestrated by Mao Ning to align himself with a communist “red” label. Mao Ning entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Asian Affairs Department a year before Zhao Lijian, but in the Information Department, Zhao Lijian had been there two years longer than Mao Ning. Mao Ning’s return from Sichuan to become a spokesperson positioned him above Zhao Lijian, showcasing his red background and overshadowing Zhao Lijian.
Directors of the Information Department often accompany senior Chinese officials to international events, with several former directors going on to become Foreign Ministers. In the past 20 years, all six former Information Department directors, including Kong Quan, Liu Jianchao, Ma Chaoxu, Qin Gang, Lu Kang, and Hua Chunying, have been promoted. However, former director Qin Gang, once considered a close ally of Xi Jinping, fell from grace, leading to doubts about Xi’s personnel choices.
Recent personnel changes have been frequent in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In January 2025, Guo Jiakun was appointed Deputy Director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and spokesperson, leading the Ministry’s routine press conference on January 6. This month, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Deng Li was appointed as the Chinese Ambassador to France and Monaco.
Over the past two years, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had faced various challenges. In 2023, then-Foreign Minister Qin Gang was relieved of his position after a period of disappearance, and current Political Bureau member and Foreign Affairs Office Director Wang Yi resumed his role as Foreign Minister. Speculations arose about Wang Yi’s tenure being transitional, with a popular candidate for the new Foreign Minister position being Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee. Liu Jianchao’s frequent international activities before the 2024 “Two Sessions” sparked early speculation.
At 71 years old, Wang Yi, who retained his position during the 20th National Congress of the CPC, is viewed as a “running mate” for Xi Jinping. At the start of 2025, Wang Yi held a high-profile ceremony in Beijing to unveil the “Human Destiny Community Research Center,” extolling this concept as Xi’s “original idea” and the core concept of Xi’s diplomatic ideology.
Following his trip to four African countries, a few hours after leaving the Chadian presidential palace, a military operation managed to thwart an armed attack targeting the palace, resulting in 19 deaths.
Commentator Wang Gong recently mentioned on the YouTube channel “Hope Vision” that two confidants of Wang Yi have infiltrated high levels of the foreign affairs leadership or perhaps are considering retirement.
Wang Gong explained that the Chinese diplomatic system is entrenched with factions divided by their alma maters: the University of International Relations in Beijing, the Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Shanghai International Studies University, China Foreign Affairs University, and the School of International Studies. Wang Yi leads the faction from the Beijing Foreign Studies University; Qin Gang was once considered a key figure of the University of International Relations faction; Liu Jianchao leads the Beijing Foreign Studies University faction within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seen as a protege of the former senior diplomat Yang Jiechi, who reportedly has long-standing conflicts with Wang Yi. The fact that Liu Jianchao cannot become the Foreign Minister may be due to Wang Yi’s influence.
Wang Gong indicated that two individuals from Wang Yi’s faction at the Beijing Foreign Studies University were recently promoted to key positions beside Wang. Chen Xiaodong, who was promoted to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs last year, graduated from the Beijing Foreign Studies University, while Li Kexin, appointed as Deputy Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office in November, also graduated from the same university. As Wang Yi may have to relinquish his position as Foreign Minister soon, the positioning of his allies in high-ranking diplomatic roles may signal a strategic move for his succession planning.
Regarding Wang Yi’s tenure as Xi Jinping’s “running mate,” it may be tied to Xi’s political longevity. If Xi is sidelined from power, Wang may also face challenges in maintaining his position.
Independent commentator Du Zheng previously wrote for Taiwan’s Up Media, stating that Qiu Yu, the Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reportedly has a secret relationship with Xi’s family. Qiu Yu, who supposedly sent a relative to monitor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holds significant power, and even Wang Yi must be cautious around him.
In November 2023, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China specifically mentioned three major risks within the diplomatic system, including political risks and inadequate implementation of Xi Jinping’s directives, as well as issues with cadre management, favoritism, and exclusion of dissidents. This article directly targeted Wang Yi, who oversees foreign affairs.
Du Zheng believes that the aging Wang Yi has been tirelessly travelling the world for a decade, likely out of necessity. Not belonging to Xi’s core circle, Wang Yi has shown loyalty and cooperated with Xi’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy to earn favor. However, Wang Yi’s favor may not be everlasting, as he has offended the University of International Relations faction headed by Qin Gang, and with a “supervisor” by his side, if he oversteps in internal diplomatic struggles, his future may be uncertain.