Wang Yi and Qin Gang were both promoted after the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) 20th National Congress and both will manage China’s diplomacy work. The Epoch Times published an article commenting on their relationship.
Wang Yi, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, now sits on the 24-member CCP Central Committee and serves as the Office Manager (办公室主任) of the CCP’s Central Foreign Affairs Commission (中央外事工作委员会) where Xi Jinping is the Chair of the commission. Qin Gang is the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and is expected to become a State Council Member (国务委员, a Deputy-State level official with the same rank as Deputy Prime Minister) appointed by the People’s National Congress in March.
In China, the CCP organ sits above the corresponding state council organ. So Wang Yi in theory is above Qin Gang. However, both of them have direct access to Xi Jinping and therefore, Qin Gang may have autonomy to a certain extent. Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper said that Wang is in charge of Russia and Europe while Qin Gang leads the work with the U.S.
Source: Epoch Times, February 1, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/2/1/n13920172.htm