Bilawal felicitates Qin Gang on becoming Chinese foreign minister

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has congratulated Qin Gang on becoming the new foreign minister of China hoping that during his tenure Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to new heights, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Bilawal posted a tweet on Saturday saying: “Heartiest felicitations to H. E. Qin Gang on his appointment as the Foreign Minister of China. I look forward to working with @AmbQinGang towards taking the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership to even greater heights.

Heartiest felicitations to H. E. Qin Gang on his appointment as the Foreign Minister of China. I look forward to working with @AmbQinGang towards taking the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership to even greater heights.

— Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (@BBhuttoZardari) December 30, 2022

China appointed US ambassador Qin Gang as its new foreign minister on Friday, state media reported, installing a top diplomat known for tough talk against the West.

The 56-year-old replaces Wang Yi, who has been the face of Chinese diplomacy since 2013.

Qin had been Beijing's top representative in Washington since last year, charged with putting the relationship between the world's two largest economies back on track.

He has earned a reputation as a "wolf warrior", a nickname given to Chinese diplomats who respond vehemently to Western nations they perceive as hostile.

He said in 2020 the image of China in the West had deteriorated because Europeans and Americans -- in particular the media -- had never accepted the Chinese political system or its economic rise.

Qin, a fluent English speaker, also stepped up visibility in Washington through public and media appearances in which he explained the Chinese position. He previously served as a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry.