Analyses suggest that the frequent removal of senior Chinese government officials demonstrates the arbitrary manner in which officials are appointed and dismissed.
CCTV News reported that according to the decision of the 6th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on 24 October 2023, Xi signed a presidential decree to replace Wang Zhigang, the incumbent Minister of Science and Technology, and Liu Kun, the current Minister of Finance, and at the same time to remove Li from the posts of State Councillor and Minister of Defence; and to remove Qin from the position of State Councillor.
Next defence minister
The Chinese government has not announced a candidate to succeed the defence minister yet. Reuters earlier quoted sources as saying that Liu Zhenli, a long-time chief of staff of the CPC Central Military Commission, could take over the role. The Wall Street Journal predicted that He Weidong, vice-chairman of the CPC’s military commission, would also be the defence minister.
Qin Gang, once China’s youngest foreign minister in half a century, was removed from his post after just over six months as China’s foreign minister (NOEL CELIS / AFP)
Only 3 Members Remain
Qin was removed from the post of Foreign Minister in July this year, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China (CCPC), was reinstated to the post of Foreign Minister, leaving him as a State Councillor, although both of them have been removed from the post of State Councillor now. With the dismissal of Li and Qin, the number of State Councillors in China is now reduced to three.
In March 2023, Li Shangfu was appointed State Councilor and Minister of National Defence, replacing Wei Fenghe, who retired, and was dismissed after only seven months in office, making him China’s shortest-serving defence minister. (Roslan RAHMAN / AFP)
Li‘s last public appearance was his speech at the opening ceremony of the China-Africa Peace and Security Forum in Beijing on 29 August this year. The Chinese side has not announced whether Li is under investigation for criminal behaviour. U.S. officials have disclosed that Li is under investigation for corruption.
Arbitrariness of Appointments and Removals
Alex Payette, a Canadian sinologist who studies senior Chinese personnel, wrote in an article for the French news site Asialyst that this leads to any sign of disloyalty being grounds for termination. This can cause two reactions in senior cadres: increased competition and frustration.
The China expert pointed out that since sub-national officials could disappear without notice, this would create greater uncertainty in finding stable counterparts. “It is difficult to be seen as a reliable political or business partner in such circumstances”, and the move reinforces the arbitrary nature of senior appointments and dismissals.
