Dong Jun’s appointment as Defense Minister was approved at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. It serves as the legislative body of the People’s Republic of China. Dong was previously commander of the Chinese Navy and has already participated in joint military exercises between China and Russia.
Dong will now take on the role that has not been fulfilled for several months. His predecessor, Li Changfu, has not appeared in public since August. Lee resigned as Defense Minister in October. He is also no longer allowed to serve as a state counsellor. The Chinese government did not provide an official reason for the dismissal, but according to Reuters news agency, Li was involved in a large-scale corruption investigation.
In the same period, there was another notable disappearance at the top of Chinese politics. Foreign Minister Qin Gang has been missing from the public arena since late June. Rumors spread that the minister was in a relationship with a woman in the United States, with whom he also had an American son.
Chen’s place was filled by Wang Yi, an experienced diplomat who had previously held that ministerial post. No information has been revealed about the two ministers since their resignation. Many other high-ranking officials also disappeared from the radar. The political magazine Politico spoke of a “Stalinist purge in Xi Jinping’s court.”
