Washington, D.C. – The U.S. government has suggested that Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu is under investigation, raising questions about the stability of China’s military and foreign policy leadership. This revelation comes amidst a climate of uncertainty within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), marked by a series of unexplained disappearances of high-ranking officials.
Li Shangfu, who has not been seen in public for over two weeks, is rumoured to have been relieved of his duties as defense minister. This development follows the removal of the top two generals at the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force just two months ago, a branch overseeing China’s long-range missiles and nuclear weapons.
The investigation into Li’s circumstances remains shrouded in secrecy, mirroring previous disappearances of high-profile Chinese officials, including former Foreign Minister Qin Gang. The Biden administration has refrained from making official comments on the matter, and the Chinese embassy in the U.S. has remained tight-lipped. Reports from Vietnamese officials indicate that Li cancelled a meeting citing a “health condition,” a commonly used explanation by the Chinese government for the absence of prominent officials.
Adding complexity to the situation is Li Shangfu’s history with the U.S. In 2018, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Li due to China’s procurement of Russian weapons during his tenure as the head of the PLA’s main department for weapons development. These sanctions have strained military relations between the two nations and have prevented meetings between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Li.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel recently drew attention to China’s leadership dynamics, enigmatically referencing Agatha Christie’s novel “And Then There Were None.” This cryptic remark has fueled speculation about Li Shangfu’s situation and the broader implications for China’s foreign and domestic policies.
While the details surrounding Li’s investigation remain elusive, his situation and the disappearance of other high-ranking officials underscores a growing sense of uncertainty within the upper echelons of China’s ruling party. Observers are closely monitoring these developments to better understand their potential impacts on China’s foreign and domestic policies.
