Former Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Beijing: China’s ruling Communist Party headed by President Xi Jinping on Thursday expelled the former Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu for alleged corruption and launched prosecution proceedings against him.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership on Thursday decided to expel Li, 66, for serious violation of Party discipline and the law, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Li who headed the People's Liberation Army's all-important Rocket (Missile) Force and was personally picked up for the top defence post by Xi himself went missing last year sparking speculation that he was being investigated for corruption and indiscipline.
Li who also formerly served as a State Councillor, the top post in the party and as a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the PLA headed by Xi, was deprived of his qualification as a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Li is among dozens of top PLA Generals either sacked or punished for corruption since Xi, 71, assumed power in 2012.
The CMC's disciplinary and supervisory agency launched an investigation against Li on August 31, 2023.
According to the investigation results, Li seriously violated political and organisational discipline. He sought improper benefits in personnel arrangements for himself and others, took advantage of his posts to seek benefits for others, and accepted a huge amount of money and valuables in return, the Xinhua report said.
He is suspected of the crime of taking bribes. He was also found to have offered money to others to seek undue benefits, constituting the suspected crime of offering bribes. The investigation also found clues of Li's other violations, it said.