Amidst escalating anti-corruption efforts within the Chinese military, Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been notably absent from public appearances for over two weeks.
Li Shangfu had not been seen in public for a fortnight, raising significant attention from Western media. The last known public appearance of Minister Li was on August 29th when he attended the 3rd China-Africa Peace and Security Forum in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech. However, since then, he has remained out of the public eye.
According to a report from Reuters, Li was scheduled to attend a defense cooperation annual meeting hosted by Vietnam on the China-Vietnam border from September 7th to 8th. However, just days before the meeting, Chinese authorities informed Vietnam that the meeting would be postponed due to Li’s “health conditions.” The news ignited widespread speculation. On September 11th, when asked about Li’s whereabouts at a Chinese Foreign Ministry press conference, spokesperson Mao Ning said he couldn’t understand the situation being referred to.
Born in February 1958, Li, now 65 years old, graduated from the National University of Defense Technology of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Over his career, he held prominent positions, including the director of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center and commander at the Chang’e 2 launch site. He was promoted to the rank of General in 2019 and was elected to the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2022. As of 2023, he officially assumed the roles of State Councilor and Defense Minister, making him a deputy national leader.
Ever since his appointment as State Councilor and Defense Minister, Li had been actively appearing in public events every month from April to August. In August alone, he attended several high-profile meetings, including the 11th Moscow International Security Conference and met with leaders like Belarusian President Lukashenko and the UAE Air Force Commander Ibrahim.
However, since August 29th, Li has vanished from the public scene, leading to speculations, especially given the recent intensification of anti-corruption campaigns in the Chinese military. On July 26th, President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of maintaining stringent anti-corruption efforts during an inspection of the Western Theater Command of the PLA.
Interestingly, on the same day, a notice was issued by the Central Military Commission’s Equipment Development Department, seeking information about any misconduct in military equipment procurement since October 2017. Notably, Li Shangfu had taken over the Equipment Development Department in September 2017, indicating that the investigation spanned his tenure.
Additionally, on July 31st, an unexpected reshuffling in the PLA Rocket Force’s leadership raised eyebrows. It was reported that the Rocket Force’s commander, Li Yuchao, was replaced after serving for just over a year – a surprisingly short tenure since the force’s establishment in 2015. Sources suggest that the Central Military Commission’s Discipline Inspection Committee is currently investigating several top military officials, including Li Yuchao.
As China’s military anti-corruption drive heats up, the sudden absence of Defense Minister Li Shangfu adds a layer of mystery to the ongoing events. The reasons behind his disappearance, whether due to health or other factors, await official clarification.