China has officially removed its Defence Minister, Li Shangfu, from office, marking the culmination of a two-month-long absence from the public eye.
The decision was made without any official explanation for his removal, leaving many to speculate on the reasons behind this abrupt move.
No immediate replacement has been announced for his position.
Li Shangfu’s dismissal adds to a string of high-profile exits in the Chinese military and political sphere. Among these, Qin Gang, who held the role of Foreign Minister, was removed from his position in July.
Surprisingly, both Qin Gang and Li Shangfu were also ousted from their positions on the State Council, which serves as China’s highest administrative authority.
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This development was formally approved by China’s top legislators, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, as reported by the state broadcaster, CCTV.
The implications of Li Shangfu’s removal from office are compounded by China’s preparation to host foreign defence officials in Beijing this week.
As no official reason has been provided for his sacking, questions and concerns persist regarding the motive behind the decision.
A recent report by Reuters suggested that Li Shangfu was under investigation for potential corruption issues linked to equipment procurement and development.
His last public appearance dates back to August 29 when he attended a security forum in Beijing involving African nations. It is important to note that Li Shangfu had assumed his role as Defence Minister just a few months prior, in March.
Li Shangfu, an accomplished aerospace engineer with a background in satellite and rocket launch center operations, had ascended the ranks of the Chinese military and political elite quite smoothly.
Notably, in 2018, while heading the military’s equipment development arm, he faced sanctions imposed by the US government due to China’s acquisition of Russian combat aircraft and armaments.
This particular issue caused tension between Li and his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, resulting in his refusal to meet at a Singapore defense summit earlier this year.
Both Li Shangfu and Qin Gang were reportedly considered favorites of China’s President, Xi Jinping.
However, Qin Gang was stripped of his last government title after being removed from the position of foreign minister.
While no official explanation was provided for Qin’s dismissal, the Wall Street Journal reported that sources alleged an extramarital affair during his tenure as ambassador to the United States.
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