In China, the minister responsible for AI and semiconductors has vanished without a trace.

The Minister of Industry and Information Technology of China, Jin Zhuanglong, has vanished, having not attended any significant government meetings for over two months. A replacement was appointed for him the day before.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Financial Times.

Jin Zhuanglong has been missing since late December. The disappearances of Chinese officials often indicate an anti-corruption investigation. Sources from the publication state that the minister was the subject of an investigation related to bribery.

On February 28, Jin Zhuanglong was removed from his position and was succeeded by Li Lecheng. The newly appointed Minister of Technology and Industry had previously served as the governor of Liaoning province.

No official explanations regarding Jin's absence have been provided by the Chinese authorities.

Who is Jin Zhuanglong

Jin gained prominence as the head of the state aircraft manufacturer Comac, where he was credited with the development of the C919, China's first domestically produced passenger aircraft.

He was later promoted to Deputy Director of the Central Military-Civilian Office of China.

In 2022, he was appointed Minister of Industry and Technology, overseeing industrial policy, including the development of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, telecommunications, and electric vehicles.

It is worth noting that in 2023, the Chinese parliament removed Foreign Minister Qin Gang from office. Since taking office, Qin played a significant role in managing U.S.-China relations. However, his last public event was a meeting with officials from Russia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam on June 25, 2023. After that, he disappeared. The ministry reported that he was not working due to unspecified health reasons.

Subsequently, Wang Yi, head of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, became the new Foreign Minister.