• China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu removed without explanation.
• No successor named for Li Shangfu as China’s defense minister.
• Ongoing trend of high-profile dismissals, including Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

China’s Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, has been officially removed from his position, marking the end of a two-month period during which he disappeared from the public eye.

The Chinese government has not provided any explanation for his dismissal, and no successor has been named.

This move comes in the wake of other high-profile dismissals in the military and government, including Qin Gang, who was ousted as the foreign minister in July.

Both Qin and Li were also removed from their roles on the State Council, China’s top legislative body.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s leading legislative authority, approved the removal of Li Shangfu and Qin Gang.

Notably, this development leaves China without a defense minister at a time when it is set to host foreign defense officials in Beijing this week.

It was reported by Reuters in the previous month that Li Shangfu was under investigation for suspected corruption linked to equipment procurement and development.

His last public appearance was on August 29th at a security forum in Beijing with African nations, and he had only been in the role since March.

Li Shangfu, an aerospace engineer who began his career at a satellite and rocket launch center, had risen through the ranks of the military and Chinese political circles.

In 2018, he faced sanctions from the US government due to China’s purchase of Russian combat aircraft and arms.

These sanctions seemed to be a point of contention for him, as he refused to meet his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, at a Singapore defense summit earlier in the year.

Both Li Shangfu and Qin Gang were considered to be favorites of President Xi Jinping, but now they have been stripped of their government positions.

Qin Gang was removed as China’s foreign minister in July without a given reason, although sources cited an extramarital affair during his tenure as ambassador to the United States.

Furthermore, China’s elite unit responsible for managing its nuclear arsenal saw a change in leadership, with General Li Yuchao, who headed the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force unit, and his deputy being replaced after months of their absence.

This triggered speculation about a broader shake-up within the leadership.

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