The GuardianThe Guardian

Speculation grows over fate of China’s missing defence minister

By Helen Davidson

15 Sep 2023 · 2 min read

informed Summary

  1. China's defence minister, Li Shangfu, hasn't been seen in public for nearly three weeks, leading to speculation that he is under house arrest.

China’s defence minister has not been seen in almost three weeks with speculation he is under investigation, the latest case of a senior Communist party official to disappear from public view.

Gen Li Shangfu was last seen on 29 August when he gave a speech to the China-Africa peace and security forum. His last overseas trip was to Moscow and Minsk in mid-August, where he met Russian officials on the sidelines of a security conference, and with the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.

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