Tommy Patrio Sorongan, CNBC Indonesia
Friday, 15/09/2023 22:00 WIB
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The United States (US) government has reportedly opened its voice regarding the disappearance of China’s Minister of Defense (Menhan) Li Shangfu from the public. This was reported by the Financial Times media, Thursday (14/9/2023).
US officials say Li is currently the likely subject of an investigation by Beijing. Washington also alleged that Li had been relieved of his duties.
Li himself suddenly withdrew from a meeting with Vietnam’s defense leaders last week. This comes amid questions about his more than two-week absence from the public.
The 65-year-old Li is scheduled to attend an annual meeting on defense cooperation hosted by Vietnam on its border with China on September 7-8. However, two Vietnamese officials told Reuters the meeting was postponed after Beijing told Hanoi days before the event that the minister had “health problems”.
Li’s disappearance from the public has also drawn a number of comments. US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel posted on X, formerly Twitter, on September 8 that Li was rarely seen.
Photo: Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu meets German Defense Minister Pistorius (not pictured). Pistorius took part in the Asian security forum “Shangri La Dialogue”. (dpa/picture alliance via Getty I/picture alliance)
Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu meets with German Defense Minister Pistorius (not pictured). Pistorius took part in the Asian security forum “Shangri La Dialogue”. (Britta Pedersen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Emanuel suspects that Li suffered a similar fate to former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who recently disappeared and was later replaced by Wang Yi
“First, Foreign Minister Qin Gang went missing, then the Rocket Force commander went missing, and now Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn’t been seen in public for two weeks. Who will win this unemployment race? China’s youth or Xi’s cabinet?”
Li was last seen in Beijing on August 29 while delivering an important speech at a security forum with African countries. He previously held high-level meetings during a trip to Russia and Belarus.
China’s Minister of Defense is primarily responsible for defense diplomacy and does not command combat forces. His public profile is lower than that of foreign ministers, who appear frequently in state media.
“Li’s disappearance, which occurred shortly after Qin’s, shows how mysterious China’s elite politics are in the eyes of the outside world,” said Alfred Wu, a professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.
“China under Xi’s leadership does not feel the need to explain itself to the world,” he said.
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2023-09-15 15:00:00
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