Hey, it's Ryan.
We'll be back on Thursday with a new episode to start off 2025, but until then, we wanted to remind you of this series we made earlier this year.
It's a story about the mysterious downfall of China's missing foreign minister.
Kate and our reporting team take you through one of the most intriguing political mysteries to come out of China in years.
I think you'll find it fascinating.
There are three episodes and they've all been linked in the show notes.
I hope you'll give it a listen.
Here's episode one.
The last day that Qin Gang, China's then foreign minister, was seen in public was on June 25th of last year.
It was a hot, humid day in Beijing, and according to his official schedule, Qin spent some of that day carrying out his foreign minister duties as usual.
Mostly this meant meeting other foreign ministers.
We know from Qin Gang's official schedule that he met with Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister.
That's chief China correspondent Ling Ling Wei.
Qin and the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister discussed China's Belt and Road initiative.
They shook hands and snapped a picture in front of their country's flags.
We know he met with the Vietnamese foreign Minister and that they talked about the Vietnamese Prime Minister's visit to China.
Another handshake, another picture in front of another set of flags.
And Chenggang also met with a representative from Russia.
One of China's key partners, Russia's deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Rudenko, was in town that day.
A photo from the day shows Chin and Rudenko striding out of a building mid conversation.