The world’s attention has been captivated in recent days by the fate of two ministers who disappeared after being removed from their positions in China. In a country with the world’s largest population and a significant influence on the global economy, rising to the level of ministerial positions is already a daunting task. To occupy those seats, one must have the emblem of the State Council, China’s highest administrative body, pinned to their lapel. China’s history also includes high-ranking officials who vanished overnight after serving in important government positions.
China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, was relieved of his duties a few months ago without an official announcement. Defense Minister Li Shangfu also lost his position in the past weeks after allegations of corruption surfaced, ending his five-year tenure in the middle of the night. Reports indicated that Shangfu was under investigation for corruption allegations. However, the nature of the alleged wrongdoing by Gang remains unknown. Officially, one must be a member of the State Council to hold a government position in China, which is why Li’s successor, Wang Yi, is also a council member.
Losing one minister in a cabinet reshuffle is considered unfortunate in politics, but the removal of the second minister in a short span is seen as carelessness and inexperience. The absence of an official statement regarding the ministers’ removals has fueled speculation.
China’s President Xi Jinping, who has been in power since 2012, is known not only for his anti-corruption efforts but also for placing his loyal associates in key positions. Therefore, the decision to remove defense and foreign ministers from their important international roles has sparked discussions.
Events in China go beyond these changes. Shortly after the dismissal of Foreign Minister Gang, two high-ranking officials in the People’s Liberation Army were also removed from their positions. These individuals were responsible for China’s missile program, the Rocket Force. President Jinping established the Rocket Force in 2015 to oversee China’s missile program and has closely guarded this unit ever since.
Chinese analysts are divided after these purges. Some see them as a demonstration of Xi’s power, while others view them as a sign of weakness. Jinping is currently enjoying his third term as party leader and president, with an unprecedented election victory. Praise for him continues unabated throughout the country. It is a well-known fact that he has surpassed revolutionary Mao Zedong, the founder of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Republic of China, in terms of success. His achievements, even challenging Mao’s authority in some instances, cannot be underestimated.
China has had its dark moments in history, including figures like Liu Shaoqi, a loyal aide to Mao who was accused of betraying the revolution and died in prison in 1967. Lin Biao, who was appointed as Mao’s successor, is another such figure. He attempted to flee to Moscow after a failed coup in 1971 but died in a plane crash in Mongolia. Even after his death, the mystery surrounding the circumstances of his demise remains unsolved.
In China, there have been instances of political rehabilitation, where politicians who have made mistakes are cleansed and politically restored to gain public respect. Both Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi were rehabilitated during Deng’s era.
Since those days, China has come a long way, and the Yangtze River, the third-longest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon, has witnessed many changes. The individuals I mentioned earlier played a significant role in lifting millions of people out of poverty, earning them the status of heroes.
However, the current market economy has produced millionaires and, subsequently, billionaires. As production increased, wealth inequality grew exponentially. Despite low wages, high profit margins, and low costs, organized labor unions were not allowed to form, and strikes were suppressed. The West began to admire China’s economic model, characterized by cheap labor and high profit margins, even though it didn’t permit organized labor movements. China’s vision was built on the premise that only a few individuals would become wealthy from this economic gain, rather than sharing it with everyone.
This version of capitalism, which has steadily progressed, has created a new middle class. The working class, which the Chinese Communist Party aimed to represent, continued to live in poverty. President Xi’s slogan of “prosperity” continues to reflect similar initiatives undertaken by his predecessors.
President Xi Jinping is known for his decisiveness and desire for swift implementation of decisions. Despite the disappearance of the defense minister, the country’s military activities seem unaffected. Approximately 100 Chinese warplanes were spotted flying near Taiwan on September 17th and 18th, an unusually high number in such a short period. We will have to wait and see the geopolitical implications of President Xi’s hasty decisions.
So far, there have been no significant signs of internal resistance to the country’s economic or political direction. However, this could be attributed to the increasing youth unemployment rate and the uncertainty of the future. The only thing certain for China and the world is that interesting times lie ahead.
In one of his statements, Chinese leader Xi Jinping mentioned that the rise and fall of capable individuals greatly determine the fate of political parties and governments in a country. These disappearances may not be of paramount importance to the Communist Party or President Xi’s administration, as long as their grip on power remains intact.
