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The Chinese government, which has grown even more opaque under Xi, offered no public explanation for the series of personnel shake-ups, nor did it show any interest in quashing the inevitable speculation that has spread since then.
At the start of his unprecedented third term, China's President Xi Jinping packed China's senior ranks with a list of stalwarts he apparently hoped would smooth the way to achieving his grand vision for China. Yet less than a year later, a storm of turbulence is rocking the ruling elite handpicked by Xi Jinping, raising questions about his judgment and eroding international confidence in his governance, at a time when China is grappling with problems of major economic in the country and competition with the United States on the world stage.
In just a few months, two senior members of China's cabinet who served as the country's main interlocutors with the world have disappeared. Defense Minister Li Shangfu has not been seen in public for three weeks, prompting speculation that he is under investigation. A week ago, Foreign Minister Qin Gang was dismissed in dramatic fashion after disappearing from public view for a month. Their sudden absence comes as Xi is seeking to eliminate any perceived threats and weaknesses in an effort to bolster national security amid rising tensions with the West, CNN reports .
Both Li and Qin serve among China's five state councilors, a senior cabinet position that exceeds the powers of a regular minister. Li also sits on the Central Military Commission, a powerful body headed by Xi that commands the armed forces. Meanwhile, the surprise departure of two top generals has shaken the People's Liberation Army Missile Force, an elite unit created by Xi to modernize China's conventional and nuclear missile capabilities, sparking concerns of a wider purge in the military.
The Chinese government, which has grown even more opaque under Xi, offered no public explanation for the series of personnel shake-ups, nor did it show any interest in quashing the inevitable speculation that has spread since then. On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Qin was found by a Communist Party investigation to have engaged in an extramarital affair while serving as China's envoy to Washington, citing people familiar with the matter. China's Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the report.
The lack of transparency over the fate of two high-profile ministers has dealt a blow to the international image of Beijing, which has touted its political model as more stable and efficient than Western democracies. Experts say growing uncertainty among China's ruling elite has exposed the weaknesses of its one-party system, which have only been amplified by Xi's concentration of personal power in what is now his third term. "What's happening in China really represents and has reflected an absolutely tremendous political risk emanating from Beijing," said Drew Thompson, a senior researcher at the National University of Singapore.
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