Chinese state media announced that General Li Shangfu has been dismissed as defence minister and state councillor. This marks the second removal of a senior leader in the past three months, possibly indicating instability among Chinese President Xi Jinping’s closest advisors.

Before state media announced his removal, Li was not seen in public for the past two months. China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress approved the removal of General Li and ex-foreign minister Qin Gang without explanation. Reuters reported in September that Li was under investigation for corruption related to equipment procurement and development, and the Wall Street Journal reported that Qin possibly had an extramarital affair during his time as ambassador to the United States. Both men were handpicked by Xi for their respective roles, and their subsequent removal after less than a year of service is highly unusual.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-removes-li-shangfu-defence-minister-state-media-2023-10-24/