TV presenter in relationship with ex-Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang had surrogate child in US

A prominent Chinese television presenter, known to have been in a relationship with the former Chinese foreign minister who was recently removed from his position, reportedly had a child through a surrogate mother in the United States last year. Fu Xiaotian, aged 40, was in a relationship with Qin Gang, as confirmed by six individuals closely connected to both Fu and China’s foreign policy circles, according to a Financial Times report. It’s worth noting that surrogacy is prohibited in China. Although the nature of Qin and Fu’s relationship remains unclear, Chinese authorities are reportedly examining it. Qin’s sudden disappearance in June and subsequent removal as foreign minister a month later has raised questions about the reasons behind these actions. The official Chinese foreign ministry website previously described Qin as “married with a son”. The Chinese government has provided no official explanation for Qin’s dismissal. Following a brief notice of his replacement on July 25, the foreign ministry deleted all references to Qin, including his meetings and speeches, from its website. However, these postings were later restored, adding to the mystery surrounding Qin’s status. He still holds the position of state councillor, which could potentially pave the way for a return to a prominent role in Chinese politics. Fu ceased her social media activity in April and stopped responding to messages in June, coinciding with Qin’s last public appearances as foreign minister, according to the Financial Times report. Efforts to contact Fu have proven unsuccessful, as her phone number has been disconnected, and she is no longer reachable through messaging apps. Fu reportedly met Qin in London around 2010, while she was working for Phoenix TV, a Chinese media group, after completing her studies at Cambridge University. Qin was posted as China’s chargé d’affaires in the UK at the time. Their relationship reportedly grew closer nearly a decade later in Beijing. Around the time of Qin’s appointment as foreign minister, he began limiting contact with Fu, which prompted her to drop hints about their relationship on social media. In March, she shared on Weibo that the child’s father was not American. After Qin’s appointment as state councillor, she posted a photo of their child, captioned with “A victorious conclusion.” With inputs from agencies