Defense minister Li, science chief Wang out in high-profile purges

China saw its second leadership shock in three months as Li Shangfu was removed as defense minister and state councillor after his disappearance for nearly two months.

The removal was approved yesterday at a meeting by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, which also voted to dismiss former foreign minister Qin Gang as state councillor and Wang Zhigang as minister of science and technology, according to state media CCTV.

Li, 65, made his last public appearance on August 29, when he attended and spoke at a security forum with African countries in Beijing. Prior to that, he chaired high-level meetings during visits to Russia and Belarus.

Liu Zhenli, 59, general of the People's Liberation Army and currently serving as chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, will succeed Li, sources said.

There has been no official explanation for Li's removal, but sources had said he was under investigation over the corrupt procurement of military equipment. Eight senior officials from the procurement unit - who worked with him between 2017 and 2022 - were also under investigation, sources added.

Li's absence follows the similar disappearance of Qin. In July, the NPCSC removed Qin as minister of foreign affairs. He had not been seen in public for about a month prior to being ousted.

Hong Kong's sole delegate at the NPCSC, Starry Lee Wai-king, expressed confidence in the country's personnel arrangements and said that "such changes are common in such a big country."

Li set a record for the shortest tenure of any Chinese defense minister, having held the post for just seven months. He had a long career in aerospace science and technology in his early years and was appointed director of the Central Military Commission's equipment development department in 2017.

He was sanctioned by the United States in 2018 for trading arms with Russia.

After the 20th National Congress last year, Li became a member of the Military Commission and was appointed as a state councillor and minister of national defense on March 12.

Liu's appointment is likely to be formally announced before the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an international security summit to be held from Sunday in Beijing.

Liu joined the army in September 1983. He became the first chief of staff of the newly reshuffled People's Liberation Army Ground Force in December 2015.

In September 2022, he was commissioned as chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission.

Meanwhile, the NPCSC has passed the patriotic education law for Hong Kong, to be enforced January 1. The law - which aims to strengthen patriotic education and carry forward the spirit of patriotism - consists of five chapters and 40 articles.

Lee said the law "sets a clear direction for the advancement of patriotic education in the city."

She added: "I hope that all sectors in Hong Kong will ... build a good foundation for the promotion of patriotic education, as well as contribute the city's strength to the construction of a strong nation and Chinese-style modernization."

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com