"Missing" defence minister Li Shangfu has been abruptly fired, just months after former foreign minister Qin Gang was similarly ousted. This raises questions about President Xi Jinping’s leadership team, says political observer Bo Zhiyue.
China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu attends the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Jun 2, 2023. on Tuesday . It ends weeks of intense speculation about his status but raises fresh questions about President Xi Jinping’s leadership team.was abruptly fired as foreign minister in July after a similarly mysterious absence. Both men are now China’s shortest-serving leaders in these portfolios.There is no evidence that General Li was removed due to his political disloyalty.
It is likely that General Li’s downfall is related to the recent major reshuffles in the military. On Jul 31, two People’s Liberation Army officers with no background in nuclear and ballistic missiles were promoted to the top rank of general by commander-in-chief Xi Jinping.
Mr Xi effectively eliminated his rivals in the Politburo, surrounding himself with loyalists. Yet he is now turning against some of them because of alleged corruption. It is extremely difficult to find someone who is both loyal and clean in the Chinese military and officialdom.Commentary: As China selects its next generation of leaders, who might Xi’s successors be?
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