China has named General Li Shangfu as its new defence minister. He is a veteran of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) modernisation effort, which led the United States to sanction him over

the acquisition of weapons from Russia. While his new role is primarily viewed as diplomatic and ceremonial, his background is closely watched by regional diplomats. General Li's tenure comes as Washington seeks to restore military dialogue and communication that had soured after Beijing reacted angrily to the August 2022 visit to Taiwan by then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

General Li's background as an aerospace engineer who worked in China's satellite program makes him ideally placed to help the PLA achieve the interim targets of President Xi Jinping's goal to become a world-class military by 2049. As deputy commander of the PLA's Strategic Support Force in 2016, he played a key role in accelerating China's development of space and cyber warfare capabilities. He was later appointed head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission, China's governing defence body, which is headed by President Xi Jinping.

In September 2018, the US State Department imposed sanctions on General Li for the purchase of 10 Su-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and equipment related to the S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia's main arms exporter, Rosoboronexport. While the sanctions are not expected to be a deal-breaker for future meetings, some security scholars believe that they add a potential complication and could provide China's military leadership with leverage.

General Li is believed to have close ties to Zhang Youxia, a close military ally of President Xi, whom he replaced as head of the department. Zhang was promoted to first vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission during the Communist Party's Congress in October, with Li following him onto the commission's governing seven-person group.

As defence minister, General Li is also expected to be closely involved in military relations in Asia, attending events such as meetings of Asian defence leaders and the informal Shangri-La Dialogue on security in Singapore. Experts predict that General Li's appointment will allow China to present a unified front in international meetings, particularly those with the United States.

In response to General Li's appointment, the US military has stressed the need for open lines of communication with the PLA to manage risks, avoid miscalculations, and responsibly manage competition. While engagement has always been a priority for the US, China views it as a concession. Observers believe that China is likely to use the sanctions as a diplomatic tool, presenting them as immaterial if they are overlooked or suggesting that it is Washington, not Beijing, that does not want to engage.

In summary, General Li's appointment as China's new defence minister is being closely watched given his background as an aerospace engineer who worked in China's satellite program and his previous role in accelerating China's development of space and cyber warfare capabilities. While the US has imposed sanctions on General Li, they are not expected to be a deal-breaker for future meetings. General Li's ties to Zhang Youxia, a close military ally of President Xi, are also seen as a significant factor in his appointment. General Li's role is primarily viewed as diplomatic and ceremonial, but he is expected to play a key part in helping China achieve President Xi's goal of becoming a world-class military by 2049. Photo by Joshua Doubek, Wikimedia commons.