The Daily Telegraph

Us-sanctioned general to lead China’s defence ministry

- By Simina Mistreanu in Taipei

CHINA has named a Us-sanctioned general as the new face of its growing military as part of a leadership reshuffle meant to further consolidat­e President Xi Jinping’s power.

Li Shangfu was confirmed yesterday as the new defence minister by China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC). Mr Li is a Mr Xi acolyte and known for his efforts to modernise the People’s Liberation Army, the world’s largest armed force. Formerly a director of the Equipment Developmen­t Department of the Central Military Commission, China’s governing defence body, Mr Li was named in sanctions imposed by the US State Department in September 2018 over the purchase of weapons from Russia.

The Chinese military in 2017 acquired 10 Su-35 combat aircraft and equipment related to the S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia’s main arms exporter, Rosoborone­xport.

Although his role is largely ceremonial, Mr Li’s appointmen­t comes at a crucial time in China-us relations. The two countries are working to restore military communicat­ions, put on hold after the August visit to Taiwan by thenUS House of Representa­tives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and repair the damage caused by a suspected Chinese spy balloon the US military shot down off the coast of South Carolina last month.

China’s parliament also confirmed continued roles for the heads of the central bank and the finance ministry as the country doubles down on tackling financial risks at the start of Mr Xi’s unpreceden­ted third term as president.

The retention of Yi Gang as central bank governor and Liu Kun as finance minister surprised observers who expected more of a shake-up of financial institutio­ns under China’s new premier, Li Qiang, himself confirmed on Saturday.

The NPC earlier approved changes to put the country’s public security, technology and financial regulation – areas previously handled by the state – under Communist Party control, as Mr Xi further consolidat­es his grip on power.

Largely seen as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, Mr Xi began his third term in office on Friday, after he was endorsed by an unanimous vote by the country’s rubber-stamp parliament.

 ?? ?? Li Shangfu, right, with fellow elected state councillor­s Qin Gang and Wu Zhenglong
Li Shangfu, right, with fellow elected state councillor­s Qin Gang and Wu Zhenglong

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