Reuters: “China is signaling that it is keen to get on top of troubled ties with the United States, Japan and North Korea with the likely appointment of two officials with deep experience of these countries to its top diplomatic posts.
Current Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, ambassador to Washington from 2001-2005 and a polished English speaker, is tipped to be promoted to state councilor with responsibility for foreign policy, three independent sources said. China has only five such councilors and the post is senior to that of foreign minister.
Yang, 62, will likely be replaced as foreign minister by Wang Yi, China’s ambassador to Japan from 2004 to 2007 and a one-time pointman on North Korea. Both will be appointed during March’s annual full session of parliament, the sources said.
“Yang Jiechi will be in the driving seat, he knows a lot about Sino-U.S. relations,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a China expert at Hong Kong Baptist University.
“China-Japan is high on the list (too) … With Shinzo Abe and the LDP back in the saddle in Tokyo, I’m sure they’re a bit concerned about the right wing twists of domestic politics and Japanese foreign policy as well.””
via New top diplomats in China signal focus on U.S., Japan, North Korea | Reuters.
CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon 
Leave a comment