According to Reuter, General Li Shangfu was elected Minister of Defence of the PRC on Sunday. The general is charged with US sanctions for purchasing weapons and parts from the main Russian exporter of Rosoboronexport weapons. The election of Li was approved by a vote of nearly 3,000 delegates of the People's National Assembly (OZPL) in Beijing.
Li is an aeronautics engineer and worked earlier in the Chinese satellite construction program
He has experience that can aid him play a key function in the modernization of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (ALW), which is the ambition of the country's leader Xi Jinping – experts say. In 2016, Li became deputy commander of the then existing strategical Support Force, an elite formation tasked with developing China's capabilities in space and cyberspace combat. He later headed the Hardware improvement Division of the Central Military Commission chaired by Xi. As manager of this department in 2018, he was listed on the list of persons sanctioned by the U.S. State Department in connection with the acquisition of Su-35 fighters and equipment related to the S-400 ground-to-air rocket strategy from the Russian Rosoboroneexport company.
China's military cooperation with Russia is presently being observed by Western states in connection with the war in Ukraine and the related sanctions imposed on Moscow. Beijing, in contrast to the West, has not condemned Russia and opposes sanctions. China and Russia agreed to strengthen cooperation, including military cooperation, and led joint military exercises
Marty Meiners, Pentagon spokesman, asked for Li's promotion, stated that he could not comment on media reports of changes in Chinese leadership, but noted that the American side wanted to keep military communications with China. "Open lines of communication can aid us manage risks, avoid misjudged and manage competition in a liable way," said Meiners.
♪ red ♪
