Xi Jinping trusts him. This alone gives Qin Gang access to the closest circle of the leading elite in the Communist Party. Now he is being traded as one of the hottest successor candidates for the post of outgoing Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai in Washington. At a time when the US and China are constantly butting heads alongside threats of sanctions, trench warfare over their countries’ international supremacy, and a growing estrangement with regards to each other’s foreign policies, Qin’s position is all the more significant. The choice of Qin Gang also underscores speculation that Qin is highly in Xi Jinping‘s favor and should therefore be entrusted with this particularly delicate task.