China's new Defence Minister: In a recent development, China appointed Li Shangfu, a US-sanctioned general, the country's new Defence Minister on Sunday, March 12. Li has been subject to US sanctions since 2018, and his appointment coincides with a phase of deteriorating relations between Beijing and Washington, ANI reported citing CNN.
According to reports, the National People's Congress, the nation's rubber-stamp parliament, unanimously elected aerospace expert Li Shangfu to succeed outgoing defence minister Wei Fenghe.
Li was sanctioned by the administration of former US President Donald Trump in 2018 for purchasing Russian weapons, including 10 Su-35 combat aircraft and equipment related to the S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Experts said the appointment would be closely watched by Washington given Li's background, even though the post is viewed as largely diplomatic and ceremonial.
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Who is Li Shangfu?
In 2016, Li was named deputy commander of the PLA's then-new Strategic Support Force - an elite body tasked with accelerating the development of China's space and cyber warfare capabilities. He was then appointed head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), China's governing defence body, headed by President Xi.
His appointment was one of a series confirmed by China's National People's Congress during its Sunday sitting. Other senior appointments included four new vice premiers - Ding Xuexiang, He Lifeng, Zhang Guoqing, and Liu Guozhong, reported CNN.
It should be mentioned here that the latest appointment is part of a major cabinet reshuffle by Xi Jinping, who was formally given an unprecedented third term as President.
(With inputs from ANI)
