China’s defence chief Li Shangfu does not attend military meeting, continuing public absence

According to footage aired on the state broadcaster CCTV, China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu was conspicuously absent from a significant military gathering on Friday( Sep 15 ), extending an unexplained public absence that is now in its third week.

Li’s brand was also omitted from the conference report by state media Xinhua. Concerns about the general’s movements and his political potential have been raised by his continued departure from public view.

Li even missed a September 7 and 8 meeting with senior Taiwanese defense leaders. Taiwanese officials were cited by Reuters at the time as saying that Li’s presence was caused by” health factors.”

Li, 65, made his final open looks on August 29 at the China-Africa Peace and Security Forum in Beijing, where he gave a keynote address.

Li’s departure comes after Foreign Minister Qin Gang made an illogical days of presence earlier this year. In July, Qin was succeeded as foreign secretary by Wang Yi.

The authority of the People’s Liberation Army met on Friday to discuss social education.

He Weidong, the vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission( CMC ), Admiral Miao Hua, who oversees political affairs, and armed rocket force General Zhang Shengmin, in charge of disciplinary matters, were present. He is China’s highest military decision-making body, headed by President Xi Jinping.

General Zhang Youxia, Xi’s dependable friend and the first-ranked CMC evil chair, as well as General Liu Zhenli, the chief of staff of the mutual personnel department, were likewise absent.

According to Xinhua, the meeting’s chairperson asked the PLA leaders to increase their social condemnation and combat readiness.