2023-09-15 10:40:01
Peking
Where is China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu?
Is Xi Jinping continuing his wave of purges? After the Foreign Minister, the Defense Minister Li Shangfu has now also disappeared.
Published15. September 2023, 12:40
There has been no sign of life from Li Shangfu for weeks.
IMAGO/ITAR-TASS/ Sipa USA
The Chinese Defense Minister made his last appearance at an Africa forum on August 29th.
IMAGO/VCG
It is believed that Li Shangfu fell victim to Xi Jinping’s wave of purges.
IMAGO/Xinhua
Li Shangfu has not appeared in public for more than two weeks.
A few days ago, the Chinese defense minister was supposed to attend a security conference in Vietnam.
His last public appearance was on August 29th.
The ongoing clean-up operation in the ranks of the Chinese military leadership is apparently continuing. After speculation in Beijing, the US government now also assumes that Defense Minister Li Shangfu is being investigated for alleged corruption. Li has not appeared in public for more than two weeks. Also China’s head of state Xi Jinping had canceled several meetings recently.
Last appearance on August 29th
A few days ago, the Chinese Defense Minister was supposed to take part in a bilateral security conference in Vietnam, but he canceled this appearance at short notice. Beijing told Vietnamese officials that this was for health reasons, Archyde.com news agency reported on Friday, citing Vietnamese sources. Li last appeared publicly in Beijing on August 29, when he gave a speech at an Africa forum.
The “Financial Times” and the “Washington Post” on Friday quoted American government officials as assuming that Li will lose his position as defense minister. The American ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, expressed the suspicion on the
Xi is taking action against corruption
In July, the Chinese military opened an investigation into procurement corruption. A public call in July looked for “evidence of disciplinary violations” in the “procurement of equipment since October 2017,” which coincides with Li’s term in office, as the FAZ writes. In addition to Li, a number of chairmen of state-owned defense companies are also the subject of the investigation.
Li’s fate is likely to be linked to the ongoing anti-corruption campaign in China’s missile force. Just a few weeks ago, the top general, the political commissar and other officers of the missile force became head of state and party Xi Jinping dismissed and replaced by specialists from other branches of the military.
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