President Xi's close ally Wang gets key diplomatic role

Amid the China-US tussle over trade tariffs, Chinese President Xi Jinping has given a key diplomatic role to his close ally and Vice-President Wang Qishan, who carried out a massive anti-graft campaign in the last five years.

Wang, 69, has been made member of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission headed by Xi.

Wang, who is valued for his "firefighting skills", would play a leading role in foreign affairs after he left his previous post spearheading the party's anti-corruption drive, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported today.

Earlier reports said Xi may send Wang, who reportedly enjoy close rapport with several US officials, to Washington to take part in the trade talks along with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.

Wang has already been meeting top foreign dignitaries visiting Beijing.

He had met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj last month when she visited Beijing to attend the Foreign Ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

At the Central Foreign Affairs Commission meeting, Xi highlighted the current uncertainty in international affairs and stressed that the foreign affairs commission will play a leading role in China's diplomacy.

Xi has already elevated the role of diplomacy during his second five tenure starting in March this year. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has been elevated to become State Councillor, a top diplomatic posting in China. The previous State Councillor, Yang Jiechi, has become member of the powerful politburo of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

The first meeting of the commission was held amid Liu's visit to the United States for a second round of trade negotiations.

The dialogue seems to be making headway as US President Donald Trump in a tweet during the weekend said he is working along with Xi to help Chinese telephone firm ZTE to get back into business.

"President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done," he said.

Today, he defended his decision with another tweet saying that "ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from U.S. companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi."