TAIPEI — Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has disappeared from public view for more than two weeks and his unexplained absence has triggered speculation about his fate. Analysts say Li’s disappearance, which follows a series of abrupt purges of top-level officials in recent months, reflects Chinese President Xi Jinping’s desire to strengthen his control over China’s military. Li, who became China’s defense minister in March, made his last public appearance Aug. 29, when he delivered a keynote speech at the third annual China-Africa Peace and Security Forum. Reuters reported that the investigation is related to the procurement of military equipment without specifying the types of equipment involved in the case. Currently, Li is still listed as China’s defense minister and a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Military Commission.

Source: GNN Liberia September 16, 2023 22:28 UTC