China fires defense minister after media reports of military supplies to Russia
Li's ouster could allow for the resumption of US-China talks, as Washington has refused to engage with the minister under sanctions
China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who has not appeared in public for the past two months, has been dismissed, the South China Morning Post reports, citing China State Television.
The decision to remove Li Shangfu from office was approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Chinese President Xi Jinping signed the relevant decree.
65-year-old Li Shangfu, who was considered a personal protégé of Xi Jinping, took over as Defense Minister in March this year, replacing General Wei Fenghe. Since 2018, Li has been under U.S. sanctions for purchasing Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 systems from Russia.
A month after his appointment as minister, he visited Moscow and met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
During Li's tenure as China's defense minister, the United States imposed sanctions on a number of Chinese companies involved in aircraft construction, drone production, and microelectronics supply for their ties to Russia.
Restrictions were also imposed on the Chinese company China Aerospace Technology, which, according to the US authorities, had been passing satellite images of Ukrainian positions to the Russian PMC Wagner.
In mid-September, the Financial Times reported, citing U.S. officials familiar with intelligence, that Li was suspended and under investigation for violations in the procurement of military equipment.
According to the agency, eight other people are being investigated along with him, who were under Li's leadership from 2017 to 2022.
The removal of Li may allow the resumption of high-level US-China military talks, as Washington has refused to officially interact with the minister under sanctions, Bloomberg notes.
Reuters writes that Li Shangfu was a member of Xi Jinping's inner circle.
Background. As reported, Chinese funds are looking for new capital markets to reduce their dependence on US investments.
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