Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been dismissed from his position. There had previously been speculation about Li because he had not appeared in public since the end of August.
China has deposed Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who has long disappeared from the public eye. Li has been removed from both his post as defense minister and his position in China’s State Council, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday, citing a decision by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
Li Shangfu had not appeared in public since August 29, when he gave a speech at a China-Africa peace forum. A few weeks later, several Western media outlets speculated about the reasons for his disappearance. Citing US government sources, there was talk of an ongoing investigation against Li Shangfu. The party has taken stricter measures in the army since the summer and replaced high-ranking military officials on suspicion of corruption.
China: Investigations against Defense Minister Li Shangfu?
According to official information, Li Shangfu joined the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 1982. The qualified engineer holds the rank of general. In mid-March of this year, he was promoted to Defense Minister – a decision that was not entirely without controversy internationally. The US put Li on its sanctions list in 2018 because he was head of the procurement agency responsible for purchasing Russian fighter jets. Since then, exchanges between the defense ministers of both sides have hardly been possible.
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At the end of July, Beijing had already removed Foreign Minister Qin Gang and reinstated his predecessor, Wang Yi. Qin Gang had also not been seen in public for weeks and was represented at international events. The reasons for his removal remain unclear. As CCTV reported on Tuesday, he has now also lost his position as State Councilor.
In China, high-ranking officials continue to disappear from public view. A little later it often becomes known that, for example, the disciplinary commission is investigating them.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
