The presence of China’s defense secretary Li Shangfu has been questioned by a prominent US diplomat, rekindling rumors of an impending corruption purge.
General Li reportedly missed some meetings and hasn’t been seen in public for approximately two weeks.
The US minister to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, made assumptions about Mr. Li’s lack by tweeting that the” poverty level” in the Chinese government was extremely high.
The Taiwanese government has not said much in Gen Li’s situation either. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry had apparently said she was” never aware of the situation” when questioned about it earlier this month.
Three weeks ago, Gen Li made his final appearance in front of the public at an Egyptian security forum in Beijing. Defense officials are not uncommon to get away from the public for a few days.
Gen Li, an aircraft engineer who started his career at a telescope and rocket launch facility, rose quickly through the ranks of the Chinese military and political elite.
He is rumored to be a favorite of President Jinping Xi, only like Mr. Qin. In addition, he is the next state chairman and cabinet minister to have vanished in recent months after Mr. Qin.
Earlier in August, when two commanders in China’s jet forces, which control land-based missiles, were replaced, rumors of a military problem purge started to circulate online. Weeks after his interview, the military court president of the army was even fired.
Mr. Emanuel mentioned Gen Li’s presence in comments last week and on Friday, making reference to the departure of Mr Qin and the other military officers.
He also claimed that Gen Li could have been placed on house arrest, pointing out that he had been a” no-show” for recent trips to Vietnam and meetings in Beijing with Singapore’s army chief.
The vocal ambassador, who is renowned for his colorful tweets, likened the absence to Hamlet from Shakespeare and the Agatha Christie secret And Then There Were None. On Friday, Mr. Emanuel tweeted,” Things is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
Sean Wat, the head of the Singaporean army, recently traveled to China and met with military representatives. The Malaysian military has been asked by the BBC to confirm Mr. Emanuel’s claim.
Mr. Qin’s disappearance, which has now been going on for three months, was also attributed to” health conditions” and has also been widely believed to be connected to a problem clean. Since then, he has been fired from his position.
Taiwanese officials are rumored to often miss important meetings due to health concerns because they frequently go through rigorous medical examinations.
Gen Li is not without debate. He was sanctioned by the US federal over China’s purchases of Russian combat aircraft and weapons in 2018, when he oversaw the technology advancement arm of the war.
Gen Li, who declined to meet with his US equivalent Lloyd Austin at a Singapore defense summit earlier this year, was thought to be stuck by the restrictions.
Gen Li’s disappearance, according to observers, highlights the dubiousness of some of Mr. Xi” choices while also demonstrating the transparency of Taiwanese political authority once more.
According to researcher Bill Bishop, the Chinese government has a” long history of corruption ,” and Mr. Xi, who holds the dual position of supreme commander under China’s political system, has attempted to combat it in the same manner as his forebears.
However, he noted in his most recent analysis that” it would be remarkable” that, after more than ten years in office,” there is still such high-level corruption[ in the military ], and for the Rocket Force officers and Li Shangfu ,”” Xi cannot blame his predecessors.”
More massacres will probably be seen as the answer, he said, adding that Gen Li, Mr. Qin, and the leadership of the jet army were all promoted by Mr Xi.
The abductions are occurring at a time of increased military exercise near Taiwan and conflicts in the South China Sea, according to Ian Chong, non-resident professor at Carnegie China.
Worries about another round of naval exercises have been raised by the recent meeting of Taiwanese ships in the Taiwan Strait, including the Shandong plane carrier.
Some people” may be concerned about issues of conversation, increase, and problems management” at this time, Dr. Chong said, because the government and foreign ministry are significant outward-facing components of the Chinese system.
For a high-level US minister, Mr. Emanuel’s tweets may be viewed as unusual, especially for one who serves as ambassador to Japan, an important US ally with tense relations with China.
However, Dr. Chong said that” it’s probable that Mr. Emanuel is attempting to get a reply from China regarding the departure.”