China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been fired after disappearing from public view for two months. This marks the second high-profile minister to lose their job recently without any official explanation. Li was also removed from his state positions as a member of the Central Military Commission and as one of China’s five state councillors.
The decision to fire Li was approved by the standing committee of the National People’s Congress, but no successor was named. Li’s disappearance has raised intense speculation about his fate, following a series of unexplained personnel shakeups within China’s upper ranks.
The dismissal of both Li and former Foreign Minister Qin Gang has raised questions about the governance of Xi Jinping, who has been concentrating power and enforcing strict party discipline. Xi has also been ramping up a campaign to bolster national security amid rising tensions with the West.
Ironically, Li’s ousting may pave the way for the resumption of high-level military talks between China and the United States. Li was sanctioned by the US in 2018 over China’s purchase of Russian weapons, and the US government has suggested that a meeting between the US defense secretary and Li would require the sanctions to be revoked.
Li’s disappearance follows a meeting in which Xi emphasized political loyalty, discipline, and the party’s “absolute leadership” over the armed forces. Days after the meeting, Xi sacked the top generals of the PLA Rocket Force, sparking concerns of a broader purge in the military.
The Chinese government has declined to comment on Li’s whereabouts or the reasons behind his absence. The Wall Street Journal reported that Li was taken away for questioning by authorities in September, while the US government believes he is under investigation. However, no reasons have been given for the investigation.
Li, who is 65 years old, had a long career in the military and is believed to be a protege of General Zhang Youxia, Xi’s closest ally in the military. Li was in charge of China’s weapon procurement from 2017 to 2022, and coinciding with his tenure, the Equipment Development Department announced a crackdown on corrupt procurement practices.
Li was last seen in public on August 29, delivering a keynote speech at a forum in Beijing. He last traveled outside China in mid-August on a trip to Russia and Belarus. The reasons for his dismissal and subsequent disappearance remain a mystery.