Is China's Defence Minister under 'house arrest'? Mystery around Li Shangfu's absence deepens
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Sep 15, 2023, 2:51 PM ISTMystery and speculation surround the unexplained absence of China's defence minister, prompting questions about leadership transparency and decision-making.
In a recent social media post, the US ambassador to Japan raised concerns about the whereabouts of China's defence minister, Li Shangfu, further deepening the mystery surrounding his two-week absence from public view.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Rahm Emanuel posted his query, stating, "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. 2nd: He was a no-show for his trip to Vietnam. Now: He's absent from his scheduled meeting with the Singaporean Chief of Navy because he was placed on house arrest???" His post also featured the hashtag #MysteryInBeijingBuilding and alluded to Shakespeare's Hamlet with the quote, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” 1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn’t been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. 2nd: He was a no-show for his trip to Vietnam. Now: He’s absent from his scheduled meeting with the Singaporean Chief of Navy…
— ラーム・エマニュエル駐日米国大使 (@USAmbJapan)Latest Videos
China's foreign and defence ministries did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment, while the US embassy in Tokyo refrained from offering further comments at that moment.
A Reuters report on Thursday revealed that Li Shangfu had abruptly canceled a meeting with Vietnamese defence leaders the previous week. His last public appearance was in Beijing on August 29 when he delivered a keynote address at a security forum involving African nations.
As per reports by the Financial Times, the US government believes that Li is under investigation, although the nature of this investigation remains undisclosed. However, it's worth noting that details regarding the specific meeting with Singapore referenced in Rahm's post were not immediately available.
Singapore's Navy Rear Admiral Sean Wat visited China from September 4-9 and engaged with PLA Navy Commander Dong Jun and other Navy officials, according to Singapore's defence ministry. Nevertheless, there was no mention of a meeting with or a scheduled meeting with Li in their official statement.
The uncertainty surrounding Li's whereabouts follows China's unexplained replacement of its foreign minister, Qin Gang, in July, after an extended absence from the public eye, along with recent leadership changes within the People's Liberation Army's elite Rocket Force. These developments have raised questions among analysts and diplomats regarding transparency and the unpredictability of decision-making within China's leadership.
Li, who assumed his position in March, also holds one of China's five state counselor positions, a cabinet-level role that ranks higher than a standard minister.
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