U.S.-sanctioned general appointed China’s defense minister
12 March, 2023 Plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 11, 2023. Photo credits: REUTERS The National People's Congress approved General Li Shangfu as China's Minister of Defense.
He has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018 for cooperation with the Russian Federation. Reuters reported this. Li Shangfu participated in purchasing the Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 air defense systems.
The agreement was implemented through Rosoboronexport. At the time, Li served as a Head of the Equipment Development Department at the top military committee overseeing China's defense technology.
Li Shangfu. Photo credits: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images
Sanctions imposed on Li include a ban on foreign currency transactions under U.S. jurisdiction, a ban on transactions with the United States financial system, a freeze on all US assets, and a visa ban.
Bloomberg also emphasizes that the sanctions introduced against China's defense minister might affect his likely meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. In early February, Beijing rejected a U.S. attempt to arrange a phone call to discuss the balloon incident shot down by a U.S.
F-22 fighter jet.
An F-22 fighter jet prepares to destroy a Chinese balloon, February 4, 2023. Photo credits: Reuters
The Pentagon reported on February 28 that senior US and Chinese officials had not spoken since November.
The sanctions against Li Shangfu raise new difficulties with the possibility of such contacts. Li Shangfu's appointment to this position might also indicate Beijing's growing attention to aerospace technology. After graduating from the National University of Defense Technology, Li held positions at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, where he oversaw the launch of China's first lunar probe.
As previously reported, Chinese state-owned defense firms have maintained trade relationships with sanctioned Russian defense companies during the past year.
In particular, this regarded the supply of spare parts for multipurpose military helicopters.
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