Beijing: In a major development, the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in China expelled former defence minister Li Shangfu on allegations of corruption and bribery and is currently investigating the charges against him, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency on Thursday. Li made headlines last year after he disappeared from public view for almost two months, which raised questions over President Xi Jinping's leadership.
The corruption charges could likely result in a trial that could lead to life imprisonment for Li. The Chinese Defence Ministry on Thursday said Li had abused his authority to enrich himself by taking bribes and granting favours in violation of military and party discipline. Such charges have been leveled in past by numerous military leaders under Xi's command.
This is the latest development in Li's fate, who has not been since mysteriously disappearing after August last year. A similar fate happened to the fiery-tongued former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who disappeared in June and was speculated to be having an extra-marital affair with a well-known television personality. Qin resigned from his seat in the national legislature in February after his removal last year.
Wei Fenghe, former defence minister who preceded Li whose prolonged disappearance also grabbed attention, was also expelled on similar charges. He resurfaced in May when he paid tribute to a senior Chinese legislator who passed away, signalling that he was politically safe. Wei’s absence from an official National Day reception last year was the first sign that he may be in trouble. He was also not included in a list of around 130 retired senior officials who received Lunar New Year greetings from the Communist Party leadership in February.
What happened to Li Shangfu?
Li dropped out of sight for almost two months last year before being removed from office. Insiders have alleged a widespread purge of officers suspected of conspiring with outside forces or simply being insufficiently loyal to Xi. High ranking officers occupy an elevated position in Chinese politics and can command extensive privileges.
According to reports citing American officials last year, Li had been placed under investigation, although the nature of the investigation was not stated. The Wall Street Journal has also reported that the missing defence minister was taken away for questioning, according to a person close to decision-making in Beijing.
The US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel questioned whether the Communist regime had placed him under house arrest, adding that he had not been for the past three weeks and was also absent from his scheduled trip to Vietnam. Xi has a reputation for valuing loyalty above all and has relentlessly attacked corruption in public and private, sometimes in what has been seen as a method of eliminating political rivals and shoring up his political position amid a deteriorating economy and rising tensions with the US.
As per an investigation launched on August 31, 2023, Li seriously violated political and organisational discipline. He sought improper benefits in personnel arrangements for himself and others, took advantage of his posts to seek benefits for others, and accepted a huge amount of money and valuables in return. The investigation also found clues of Li's other violations, as per reports.
What this tells about Xi's leadership?
There is no indication that the disappearances of Li and Qin signal a change in China's foreign or defence policies, although they have raised questions about the resilience of President Xi Jinping's power. Both officials were also believed to be close confidants of Xi and Li's absence from a meeting with senior Vietnamese defence officials on September 7 and 8 heightened speculations over his disappearance.
Additionally, two leaders responsible for managing China's nuclear arsenal - General Li Yuchao, who previously led the People Liberation Army's (PLA) Rocket unit, and his deputy General Liu Guangbin, also mysteriously disappeared for months. They were replaced as well.
Li was ousted in October and replaced by former Naval commander Dong Jun. Li was also removed from a key military command body - the Central Military Commission - and his name was removed from the defence ministry website, although his name featured as a member of the legislature even after this step.
(with inputs from agencies)
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