| Welcome to Balance of Power, bringing you the latest in global politics. If you haven’t yet, sign up here. In Beijing, yet another top official has apparently incurred the wrath of Xi Jinping. News that one of China’s most senior diplomats has been detained is just the latest big-name disappearance. Liu Jianchao heads the Communist Party’s International Department, which primarily interacts with political parties and civic groups around the world. He was taken into custody in late July after returning from an international trip and his house was searched, according to media reports. Neither Liu’s department nor the country’s foreign ministry responded to queries about the fate of the man widely expected to one day succeed Wang Yi as China’s top diplomat.  Liu Jianchao in Beijing last month. Photographer: Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images Taken together with similar high-profile falls from grace, particularly among the military, the incident highlights a growing feature of Xi’s rule. It’s a worrying trend for those who serve him, especially since the reasons for an investigation are rarely published. There’s been no official explanation for the surprise ouster of former Foreign Minister Qin Gang in 2023. Such disappearances are more than just domestic political drama. They have important consequences for how China communicates with the world, and vice versa. “Qin Gang, two defense ministers, these are not just the faces of China to the outside world, these are the senior officials who you communicate with to manage relations and reduce the risk of misperception,” according to Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. For now, responsibility for Chinese diplomacy remains with Wang, who turns 72 soon and has passed the once-official retirement age. He faces a busy couple of months. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among world leaders expected to descend on the Chinese city of Tianjin this month, while a possible China visit by Donald Trump could take place in late October. Concern about a potential power vacuum in Chinese foreign affairs is real. Yet for politicians operating in a world of uncertainty under the US president, Wang’s presence offers some reassurance — at least for the time being. — Colum Murphy  Wang Yi. Photographer: Lam Yik/Bloomberg | 
