China dismisses Defense Minister Li Shangfu

China has dismissed General Li Shangfu as its defense minister, marking the second high-level personnel change in three months.

Li was dismissed without explanation, state news agency Xinhua reported on October 24. Li has not been seen in public since late August. The decision to remove him was approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress .

Mr. Li, 65, was appointed as China's defense minister in March this year. On his first overseas trip in this position, he chose to visit Russia and met with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in April.

Mr. Li has been under US sanctions since 2018 under Donald Trump for buying fighter jets and equipment from Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

He is the second minister to be dismissed since Xi Jinping began his third term as general secretary,president and chairman of the Central Military Commission of China in October last year.

Previously, in July, Mr. Qin Gang was dismissed from his position as Chinese Foreign Minister and replaced by Mr. Wang Yi. The reason for Mr. Qin's dismissal is still unclear.

Mr. Qin was also removed from his remaining role as a State Councilor (Chinese Government), state broadcaster CCTV also reported on October 24.

In Li’s case, it is unclear who will replace him. This leaves the country without a defense minister as it prepares to host foreign defense officials, including a delegation from the US Pentagon and a Russian delegation, at the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on October 29-31 .

Minh Duc (According to Bloomberg, Reuters, SCMP)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/trung-quoc-mien-nhiem-bo-truong-quoc-phong-ly-thuong-phuc-a632553.html