Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu, absent from public view for over a fortnight, is believed to be the subject of an ongoing investigation, as reported by US officials. The United States further asserts that Shangfu has been relieved of his duties as the Defense Minister, a revelation brought to light by the Financial Times.
In a striking metaphor, Rahm Emanuel, the US envoy to Japan, aptly likens the situation within President Xi’s cabinet to an Agatha Christie novel, “And Then There Were None.” He notes the startling sequence of disappearances, commencing with Foreign Minister Qin Gang, followed by the absence of rocket force commanders, and now Defense Minister Li Shangfu vanishing from public scrutiny for two weeks. Emanuel intriguingly poses the question of who will outpace the other in this race for unemployment: China’s youth or President Xi’s cabinet?
Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Emanuel ominously echoes, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark,” highlighting the perplexing circumstances. He accentuates the peculiar events surrounding Shangfu, who hasn’t made an appearance or a statement in three weeks, even missing his scheduled trip to Vietnam and a crucial meeting with the Singaporean Chief of Navy. Speculations swirl that he may be under house arrest, adding to the intrigue. On a somewhat lighter note, Emanuel humorously alludes to Shangfu’s financial dealings with Country Garden real estate developers, suggesting he might have settled his mortgage.
This apparent disappearance follows the earlier vanishing act of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in July. Notably, nearly two months ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping removed two high-ranking generals from the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, a unit responsible for overseeing both conventional and nuclear missiles.
Recent reports from Vietnamese officials suggest that Li canceled a meeting due to a sudden “health condition.” Worth noting, in 2018, during the Trump administration, Li faced sanctions in relation to China’s procurement of Russian weaponry during his tenure as the head of the PLA’s primary department responsible for weapon procurement and development.
