Chinese state media reported that China nominated US ambassador Qin Gang as its next foreign minister on Friday, appointing a senior official renowned for speaking out strongly against the West as a successor for Wang Yi.

Since last year, Qin has served as Beijing's top diplomat in Washington, where he was tasked with repairing the deteriorating ties between the two largest economies in the world.

Chinese diplomats who have responded firmly and strongly to hostile Western nations are often dubbed "wolf warriors." Qin earned that reputation given his vehement responses to Washington during his years there.

In 2020, the newly appointed minister noted, China's reputation in the West had worsened because Europeans and Americans, particularly their media, had never embraced the country's governmental structure or its rapid economic growth.

Qin, a native English speaker, raised his visibility in Washington by making public and media appearances and outlining China's viewpoint. He had previously worked as a foreign ministry spokesperson for China.

According to a State Department official, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken "expects to continue a productive working relationship with Foreign Minister Qin in his new role" and that Blinken planned to visit Beijing early in 2023 as tensions decreased.

"The United States will continue to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship," the spokesperson said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

It is also worth noting that between 2018 and last year, he also served as vice-minister of foreign affairs.

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