Another top Chinese official has vanished from public view, reigniting suspicions about a probable corruption sweep. The ‘Wall Street Journal’ said that officials detained Defence Minister Li Shangfu last week for questioning.
All you need to know about Li Shangfu, the missing Chinese Defence Minister
- In March of this year, he was appointed to China’s top job. According to CNN, Mr. Li is still listed on the Chinese government and military websites as the Defence Minister, a state councilor, and a member of the party’s influential Central Military Commission (CMC).
- Li Shangfu was the head of the CMC’s Equipment Development Department, in charge of weapon procurement, for five years prior to his promotion. According to CNN, he was sanctioned by the US in 2018 after China purchased Russian arms.
- Mr Li’s most recent public appearance was on August 29, when he gave the keynote address at the China-Africa Peace and Security Forum in Beijing.
- According to the BBC, Li Shangfu is an aerospace engineer who began his career at a satellite and rocket launch facility.
- According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), after 31 years of service, he will be elected to the CMC at the 20th Communist Party Congress in November 2022.