After Xi Jinping's absence from the scene for a month, China has once again handed the foreign minister's portfolio to its top diplomat, Wang Yi.
Wang Yi, who is known in Washington for his sharp wit and aggressive defense of China's position, has strained relations between the US and China over the years.
Analysts in Washington say Wang Yi's return to the ministry could help China's foreign ministry return to normal after international speculation over Xinjiang.
However, it is unlikely to bring any major improvement in the strained relationship between the US and China.
"Nothing can change the reasons for the tension in the relationship," says Joseph Toregian, an expert on China's communist leaders at American University in Washington.
Vedant Patel, deputy spokesman for the US State Department, told a briefing on Tuesday that it was up to China to choose its foreign minister and that Antony Blanken had met several times with Wang Yi.
Former Chinese Foreign Minister Shin Gong has been missing for more than a month and has not been seen at any public events or gatherings, fueling speculation about his supposed disappearance.
According to French news agency AFP, 57-year-old Shin Gong was appointed foreign minister in December 2022.
Known as the 'Warrior Wolf', the Chinese foreign minister spent years at the Chinese embassy in London and is fluent in English.
While serving as ambassador to the United States, he increased his presence in Washington publicly and through the media, explaining the Chinese position.
Xi Jinping has not been seen in public since June 25, when he met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko in Beijing.
His absence from the high-level ASEAN summit in Indonesia two weeks later raised questions.
China's Foreign Ministry cited health problems as the reason for his absence.
