In the latest round of high-profile expulsions, China ousted Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu on Tuesday, and has not yet named a replacement, Chinese state media CCTV reported on Tuesday.
Li’s Dismissal
Li’s dismissal was announced through an order of China’s legislative body, the National People’s Congress. The body did not explain the reason for the minister’s removal.
However, Reuters had reported that the 65-year-old was facing a corruption probe over the procurement of military equipment.
In recent months, Chinese President Xi Jinping — who is known for valuing loyalty — has unleashed anti-corruption campaigns at all levels of the Communist Party, targeting both “tigers and flies” — referring to officials at the higher and lower rungs of political hierarchy, respectively.
According to Reuters, Li has not been spotted publicly for the past two months. The development is unsurprising, considering the similar fashion in which past higher-ups have been expunged.
Almost two months ago, Li Shangfu disappeared amid a sweeping purge of senior military leaders.
— Financial Times (@FT) October 24, 2023
Now, China has officially removed him as defence minister and cabinet member https://t.co/KSXdW6Q4AT
An aerospace engineer who began his career at China’s Rocket Launch Center, Li had steadily risen through the ranks. His promotions included membership of the Central Military Commission — the country’s highest-level national defence organisation — since 2022.
He was appointed to lead China’s Defense Ministry during a broader Cabinet reshuffle in March.
Past Expulsions
Li is the third high-profile minister to be removed from Xi’s administration amid intense speculation and international media attention.
In July, Xi removed recently appointed Foreign Minister Qin Gang from his position after only 207 days in office.
Qin had also not been spotted in public for over a month before he was removed, and Beijing erased all mentions of him from the government website.
Following this, China also mysteriously removed the commander of its missile force, Li Yuchao, in a similar fashion. Like Qin, Li had not been seen in public for several months.
The country did not elaborate on why the ministers were removed.