![]() Li also sits on the Central Military Commission, a powerful body headed by Xi that commands the armed forces. Their sudden absence comes as Xi is seeking to eliminate any perceived threats and vulnerabilities in a drive to bolster national security, amid rising tensions with the West.īoth Li and Qin serve among China’s five state councillors, a senior position in the cabinet that outranks a regular minister. Weeks earlier, Foreign Minister Qin Gang was dramatically ousted after vanishing from public view for a month. Defense Minister Li Shangfu has not been seen in public for three weeks, sparking speculation he is under investigation. In just a matter of months, two senior members of China’s cabinet who served as the country’s key interlocutors with the world have gone missing. Less than a year on, however, a storm of turbulence is roiling Xi’s hand-picked ruling elite, raising questions about his judgment and dampening international confidence in his governance – at a time when China is facing major economic troubles at home and increased competition with the United States on the world stage. At the onset of his unprecedented third term, Xi Jinping stacked China’s top ranks with a slate of loyalists who he presumably hoped would smooth the paths to achieve his grand vision for China.
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