China defense minister under investigation, being removed from post-media

Like Li, Qin is one of China’s five state councilors, a cabinet position that ranks higher than a regular minister.

The moves have raised questions from analysts and diplomats about a lack of transparency in China’s leadership when its economy is slowing and its relations with its rival superpower, the United States, have soured over various issues.

MISSED MEETING

Emanuel, a gregarious and outspoken diplomat who served as a top aide to former U.S. President Obama, has recently hit the headlines for a series of fiery posts directed at China.

Last Friday, he posted about Li’s public absence, fueling speculation on his whereabouts. Asked why Emanuel had weighed in on the issue, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the ambassador “throughout his career has spoken in a colorful manner.”

The Singapore meeting Emanuel appeared to reference in his latest post was a visit by the Singapore Navy’s Rear Admiral Sean Wat to China from Sept. 4-9.

On the trip, Wat met with China’s navy commander, Dong Jun, and other navy leaders, Singapore’s defense ministry said on its website. Two sources familiar with the matter said Wat had also been expected to meet with Li.

One of the sources, an official with direct knowledge of the plans, said Wat was scheduled to meet with Li on Sept. 5 in Beijing, but “it didn’t happen,” without elaborating.

Singapore’s defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

I also abruptly left a meeting with Vietnamese defense leaders scheduled for Sept 7-8, Reuters exclusively reported on Thursday.

Military observers and diplomats are closely watching whether China will go ahead with plans to hold the Beijing Xiangshan Forum – an annual international security summit normally hosted by China’s defense minister – in late October.

“ROADBLOCK”

Before Li was appointed to his post in March, he had led the military’s procurement unit.

In a rare notice in July, the unit said it was looking to “clean up” its bidding process and invited the public to report irregularities dating back to 2017. There has been no update on possible findings.

Li’s absence is particularly closely watched by the United States, which has not dropped sanctions imposed on him in 2018 for buying weapons from Russia’s largest arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

Chinese officials have repeatedly said they want those sanctions dropped to facilitate better discussions between the two sides’ militaries. U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin attempted talks with Li during a defense conference in Singapore in June but did not get beyond a handshake.

Wen-Ti Sung, a political scientist at the Australian National University, said that although Li had been a “roadblock” in U.S.-China military relations, his unexplained absence is problematic for China’s international relations in other ways.

“Other countries will be wondering something as basic as whose number to call when they want to set up military dialogues with China,” he said.