𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞,? 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬, 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦

Due to his nearly two-week absence from public view, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has canceled a meeting with Vietnamese defense leaders. Beijing informed Hanoi of the minister’s “health situation” days before the scheduled meeting, prompting Hanoi to postpone the gathering. The abrupt postponement of Li’s trip comes after China’s mysterious July change of Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who had been out of the public eye for quite some time, and a reorganization of the People’s Liberation Army’s elite Rocket Force. US officials reportedly believe that Chinese Foreign Minister Li Xiaoping has been ousted from his position. According to three US officials and two intelligence sources, Beijing decided to relieve Li of his duties. Rahm Emanuel, the United States ambassador to Japan, has reported that Li hasn’t been heard from or seen in three weeks.

Since his appointment in March, diplomats and other observers have been keeping a careful eye on Li. He also holds the post of one of China’s five state councilors, the highest cabinet position. An American official has confirmed that the government in Washington knew about Li’s canceled meetings with the Vietnamese.

The last time anyone saw Li, 65, was on August 29, when he was in Beijing giving a keynote talk at a security meeting with African nations. The United States government blacklisted him in 2018 for allegedly purchasing arms from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s primary arms export company. The Chinese government has often stated its desire to have these prohibitions lifted in order to improve military communication.

@prognoz_news