Defence minister, Li Shangfu, sacked and ex-foreign minister Qin Gang removed from cabinet
Photograph: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty ImagesChina has removed the defence minister, Li Shangfu, and ousted ex-foreign minister Qin Gang from its cabinet, according to state media, in a major reshuffle of top leadership.
State broadcaster CCTV announced the removals in its regular evening bulletin on Tuesday, but did not offer reasons for the ministers’ fall from grace.Previously it had been reported that the US government believed Li was under investigation and had been stripped of his ministerial duties, but China had refused to comment on the matter.
But the removal of Li and Qin is “unlikely to significantly undermine political authority, as neither was part of his true inner circle”, Thomas said.As well as being removed as defence minister, Li has also lost his position on the state council, China’s cabinet. CCTV also announced on Tuesday that science and technology minister, Wang Zhigang, and finance minister, Liu Kun, had been removed from their posts.
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