China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang has not been seen in public for three weeks, an unusually long absence amid intense diplomatic activity in Beijing, fueling intense speculation, according to a CNN report.

Chin, a career diplomat and trusted aide to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, was promoted to foreign minister in December after a brief stint as ambassador to the United States.

As foreign minister, Chin had rebuked Washington after relations between the two countries soured over the Chinese spy balloon incident that was shot down over the US.

He also played a key role in efforts by both sides to stabilize and restore communication, including meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during his visit to Beijing in mid-June.

However, the 57-year-old has not been seen in public since June 25, after meeting with officials from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Russia in Beijing.

In his last public appearance, a smiling Chin was seen walking side by side with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, who flew to Beijing to meet with Chinese officials after the Wagner group mutiny.

“Given China’s position and influence in the world, it is indeed very surprising that its foreign minister has not appeared in public for more than 20 days,” said Deng Yuen, a former Communist Party newspaper editor now living in the US.

When asked about Chin’s prolonged absence at a press conference on Monday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said he had “no information to provide,” adding that China’s diplomatic activities are being carried out as usual.

Chin’s absence was made all the more conspicuous by the flurry of diplomatic activity in the Chinese capital in recent weeks, including visits by high-profile senior US officials Janet Yellen and John Kerry.

Chin was due to meet European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell earlier this month in Beijing, but the meeting was postponed after China informed the EU that the dates were “no longer possible,” Reuters reported, citing a spokesman. EU.

The EU was informed of the postponement just two days before Borrell’s scheduled arrival on July 5, according to Reuters.

Chin also did not appear at the annual meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia last week. Instead, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi attended in his place.