China removed its Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong from his post, according to an official announcement from China’s Ministry of Human Resources on Tuesday. This decision was taken by the State Council, the country’s top administrative body. However, no reason or timeline was given for the removal of the top diplomat.According to records on China’s Foreign Ministry website, Sun Weidong’s last public engagement was a meeting with the ambassadors of Brunei and Malaysia to China on March 13. Two days ago, he had held talks with Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi to discuss bilateral cooperation, according to a post on Hashmi’s X account.The ministry’s brief statement also mentioned the removal of another senior official, An Lusheng, from the post of deputy director of the National Railway Administration. Both departures come amid sustained scrutiny of China’s high-ranking officials, often prompting disciplinary measures or reshuffles within the government.Although officials did not specify whether Sun faces investigation or reassignment, the lack of details has fueled speculation about possible disciplinary action. The dismissals come as part of Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign that has been going on for more than a decade now.

Who is Sun Weidong?

Sun Weidong is a senior Chinese diplomat who served as China’s Ambassador to India from 2019 to 2022, a period marked by a sharp decline in bilateral relations. Notably, Weidong also served as China’s ambassador to India during the border clash at Galwan Valley in 2020, following which India banned 59 Chinese mobile apps and tightened scrutiny of Chinese investments.Sun attracted attention for his comments during the crisis, where he blamed India for provoking the clashes and said it was not China’s responsibility to de-escalate, further straining relations.He remains as ambassador until October 2022. In his farewell speech, Sun cautioned against viewing India-China relations through a Western geopolitical lens, warning that such an approach would lead the two neighbors to view each other as a rival and a threat.

Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign

The campaign, launched in late 2012, has been described as one of the most extensive in the party’s history. The initiative was strengthened by the “eight rules” implemented in December 2012 to cut wasteful spending. It targets both “tiger and fly”, meaning high and low ranking officials, if they are accused of misconduct.In 2025 alone, China investigated more than one million corruption cases and punished more than 938,000 individuals, according to data from the Central Discipline Inspection Commission and the National Supervisory Commission. The commission’s year-end report said those disciplined were 69 provincial or ministerial-level officials, 4,155 bureau-level officials, 35,000 county-level officials, and 125,000 township-level officials.Senior military officials have also been impressed by Xi’s sweeping campaign, which continues to reshape the ranks of China’s government and armed forces.