China appointed Li Shangfu as its new defense minister, making the general targeted by U.S. sanctions the face of the communist regime’s growing military.
China’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), formally confirmed Li’s appointment as the Minister of National Defense and a state councilor on Sunday.
The 65-year-old aerospace engineer succeeds Wei Fenghe, who stepped down from the Central Military Commission, the highest decision-making body overseeing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), at the Party congress last October after reaching the customary retirement age of 68.
While Li’s new post was viewed as largely diplomatic and ceremonial within China’s ruling system, his promotion has been closely watched by outside analysts given his background….