China’s ruling Communist Party has named Wang Yi to direct the nation’s foreign policy after he was promoted to the 24-member Politburo following last year’s twice-a-decade party congress. 

The foreign ministry’s website on Sunday (Jan 1) posted a report by Wang as the director of the general office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission. His previous position as foreign minister was recently taken by Qin Gang, who was ambassador to the US. 

China will seek to build stable foreign relations based on peaceful coexistence and balanced development in the new year, Wang wrote in the report published on Sunday in the party’s Qiushi magazine. 

The country will deepen mutual trust with Russia and cement the bilateral strategic partnership, and will explore and establish guidelines on China-US relations and “correct course”, he wrote, without elaborating. 

Wang, 69, was promoted to the Politburo even though he was older than the retirement age of 68. He was expected to helm foreign policy after Yang Jiechi retired from the top decision-making body. Bloomberg