China Refuses to Disclose Reasons for Defence Minister ‘s Sacking
In a surprising move, China has officially removed Li Shangfu from his position as the country’s defence minister. This decision comes two months after he disappeared from public life, raising questions about his whereabouts and the reasons behind his removal.
No official explanation has been provided for this abrupt sacking, and as of now, no successor has been named for the post. Li Shangfu’s removal follows the recent ousting of other high-ranking military officials, including Qin Gang, who was removed from his role as foreign minister back in July.
Both Li Shangfu and Qin Gang were also stripped of their positions within the State Council, China’s top-level ministry, earlier this week, according to reports from state broadcaster CCTV. The decision to remove these officials was approved by China’s top legislators, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
Li Shangfu’s dismissal has left China without a defence minister at a time when the country is set to host foreign defence officials in Beijing. It has been reported that he was under investigation for suspected corruption related to equipment procurement and development.
The last public appearance of Li Shangfu was on August 29, when he attended a security forum with African nations in Beijing. Notably, he had only taken on the role of defence minister in March.
Prior to his role as defence minister, Li Shangfu had a successful career as an aerospace engineer, starting at a satellite and rocket launch center. He enjoyed a smooth ascent through the ranks of both the military and China’s political elite.
In 2018, while leading the equipment development arm of the military, he faced sanctions from the US government due to China’s purchases of Russian combat aircraft and arms. This led to friction between Li Shangfu and his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, at a Singapore defense summit earlier this year.
Both Li Shangfu and Qin Gang were considered favorites of President Xi Jinping, adding intrigue to their sudden removals from their positions. Qin Gang was dismissed as China’s foreign minister in July after serving for only seven months. While no official reason was provided for his removal, there were speculations of an extramarital affair during his time as ambassador to the United States.
These recent developments within China’s leadership, including the removal of two leaders responsible for managing the country’s nuclear arsenal, have sparked discussions and speculation about a potential power shift within the nation’s political landscape.
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