On December 29, China appointed a new defense minister: Admiral Dong Jun, formerly the commander of the PLA Navy. On the same day, nine senior military officials were removed from their posts in the National People’s Congress, a strong indication that they will face criminal charges. There are rumors of a major corruption case unfolding … Read more
On December 27, 2023, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) decided to revoke the political titles of three aerospace-defense executives: Wu Yansheng, Liu Shiquan, and Wang Changqing. Two days later, on December 29, nine senior military officials were removed from their posts at the National People’s Congress. Notably, five of those were past or … Read more
Advertisement China and the United States appear to be restarting dialogue between their militaries, despite continuing disputes over Beijing’s claims to Taiwan and the South China Sea. The U.S. confirmed on Thursday that it plans to send Cynthia Carras, principal director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, to represent the U.S. Defense Department at the Xiangshan … Read more
Advertisement China has sacked Defense Minister General Li Shangfu, who has been out of public view for almost two months, state media reported Tuesday. No further information was given, including news about Li’s replacement. Li is the second senior Chinese official to disappear this year, following former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was removed from … Read more
Advertisement When China’s National People’s Congress convened in March, President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of stability and security. But half a year later, the removal of Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Defense Minister Li Shangfu, as well as a purge of senior military officials, have made Xi’s new government appear neither stable nor secure. … Read more
Asia Geopolitics | Risk Intelligence | East Asia | Southeast Asia What does the 2023 Shangri-La Dialogue tell us about Asian geopolitics? Credit: AP Photo/Vincent ThianAdvertisement The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss the 2023 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue. Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can … Read more
Advertisement Last weekend, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, the premier Asia-Pacific security forum hosted annually in Singapore by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). For Li, who assumed his post in March this year, it was his first time representing China at the conference. Much of the media attention focused … Read more
Advertisement China’s defense minister defended sailing a warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait, telling a gathering of some of the world’s top defense officials in Singapore on Sunday that such so-called “freedom of navigation” patrols are a provocation to China. In his first international public address … Read more
Advertisement As the United States and China vie to establish new partnerships and expand influence with Asia-Pacific nations, the top defense officials from both countries are trying to win support from their regional counterparts, diplomats, and leaders at a security forum in Singapore. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose country is a stalwart U.S. ally … Read more
Asia Defense | Security | Southeast Asia The announcement comes amid a fraying of relations between China and the United States, with whom the city-state enjoys good relations. Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen meets with his Chinese counterpart Gen. Li Shangfu in Singapore, June 1, 2023. Credit: Twitter/Ng Eng Hen Advertisement China and Singapore yesterday announced that they … Read more