China’s Defense Minister General Li Shangfu is confirmed to have been replaced, after disappearing from public view for nearly two months without explanation, according to state media. Since his appointment during a Cabinet reshuffle in March, Li was last seen publically while giving a speech on August 29th.
This closely follows the earlier disappearance of Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was removed from office in July. Though these disappearances have raised questions about the stability of President Xi Jinping’s power circle, there are no clear signals of a policy change in the areas of foreign affairs or defense.
Li had been under U.S. sanctions tied to overseeing weapon purchases from Russia, and is presently barred from entering America. The sanctions led to a suspension of contacts between Chinese and U.S. military, in combination with U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
State broadcasters say both Qin and Li have also been removed from the State Council.
