Topic
Within a few months of their appointments, two important Chinese faces to the world, Qin Gang and Li Shangfu, were gone and no one seems to know why.
- The National People’s Congress Standing Committee signals a further shake-up following the dismissal of senior generals and former defence minister Li Shangfu
- So far no reasons have been given for the removal of these senior figures, but the announcement signals further changes at the top may be in the offing
Wei’s successor Li Shangfu was abruptly removed from his post last year, along with a number of other senior military figures.
The National People’s Congress Standing Committee will review the qualifications of ‘certain individual representatives’ next week, state media reports.
Beijing has not had a defence minister since Li Shangfu was removed from the post in October for unknown reasons.
Zhang Youxia, China’s most senior military officer, met Serbia’s defence chief in a sign that the country’s military diplomacy could be normalising.
Veteran of Chinese-Vietnamese war General Liu Zhenli will be face of the PLA in meetings with US representatives following unexplained disappearance of minister Li Shangfu, say sources.
Ministry spokesman confirms regional security talks will be held in Beijing from October 29 to 31.
In address at security forum in Beijing, General Li Shangfu says military cooperation will make the world more stable and predictable.
General Li Shangfu says Chinese military to work closely with partners on hi-tech weapons, counterterrorism and joint drills, while his Russian counterpart praises Beijing’s ‘big, serious’ advancements in weapons at defence expo in Moscow.
Indo-Pacific Command chief John Aquilino tells Aspen Security Forum that the US had not received a response to the invitation to attend the event in Fiji.
Li Shangfu warned Kissinger, who played a key role in establishing diplomatic ties, that relations in the 1970s are ‘hovering at the lowest point’ since then.
Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu tells visiting his Vietnamese counterpart that their military relations are developing well.
Defence Minister Li Shangfu tells the Royal Thai Army’s commander-in-chief that Beijing is ready for more cooperation.
Ambassador Xie Feng made the remarks to American business leaders, adding that China has ‘always been open to dialogue’.
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles also made comments that projected the Aukus alliance as a transparent initiative.
‘Bloc politics’ will destabilise the region, Li Shangfu says, a day after Lloyd Austin plays up US alliances.
Meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue summit, Australian defence minister Richard Marles and his Chinese counterpart General Li Shangfu, discussed the need to get past the rift that had set in under the previous Australian government.
Prospects for bilateral talks still appear slim after the US said China had declined a proposal to meet, and PLA brass confirms Washington’s refusal to lift sanctions on Li as a key reason for the rejection.
Li Shangfu says Beijing will ‘absolutely not’ renounce force against the island, in a meeting with his Singapore counterpart ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Two nations sign memorandum of understanding during meeting between defence chiefs.
US sanctions on Li Shangfu stand in the way but the implications of not talking are too high to ignore.
The US had proposed a meeting of defence chiefs Li Shangfu and Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue next week in Singapore.
Beijing yet to respond to Washington’s request for meeting between Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu and American counterpart Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore next week.
Chinese and Pakistani navy aims to ‘expand into new fields of cooperation’, seen as likely to irk India, which opposes any military aid to Pakistan and is vying with China for regional influence
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Iran, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan meetings were a ‘wonderful interaction’ or ‘fruitful discussions’ but simply said he ‘held discussions’ with Chinese counterpart General Li Shangfu.
General Li Shangfu is expected in New Delhi this week in first visit by a Chinese defence minister since deadly Galwan Valley skirmish in 2020.
It will be the first international trip for Li Shangfu, who was appointed defence minister and state councillor in March.
Beijing confirms military aerospace veteran Li Shangfu as defence minister, senior police officer Wang Xiaohong as public security minister and former Xi Jinping aide Chen Yixin as minister of state security.
