China's Communist Party Removes Ex-Foreign, Defence Ministers From From Its Central Committee

China's Communist Party removed its former foreign and defence ministers, Qin Gang and Li Shangfu, from its Central Committee on Thursday during a meeting of its largest top decision-making body, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The two officials had been removed from their jobs last year.

The ruling Communist Party ended its long-delayed third plenum on Thursday, a meeting of the 205-member Central Committee held roughly once every five years to map out the general direction of the country's long-term social and economic policies. Removals of Central Committee members would also be approved at such meetings.

The Central Committee said in a communique released by Xinhua that it accepted Qin Gang's resignation from the body, and confirmed the expulsion of Li Shangfu, 66, as well as former PLA Rocket Force commander Li Yuchao, 61, from the Communist Party for "serious violations of discipline and law", a euphemism for corruption. Li Yuchao was also removed from his job last year.

The decision to expel Li Shangfu and Li Yuchao from the Communist Party and its Central Committee by extension suggests harsher political consequences for the pair, compared to Qin Gang's resignation. Qin remains a Communist Party member.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has spearheaded a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign since becoming leader of the Communist Party in 2012. In the first half of this year alone, the party's top graft watchdog has investigated 36 officials at the vice-ministerial level and above.

Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe were both expelled from the Communist Party last month on bribery charges, as China's People's Liberation Army undergoes a sweeping anti-corruption purge which has implicated two former defence ministers and nine top generals.

Qin, 58, was abruptly removed as foreign minister in July last year after seven months in the job, and has not been seen in public since following rumours of an extramarital affair. He was removed from China's cabinet, the State Council, in October and "resigned" from the national legislative body in February.

He became one of the country's youngest foreign ministers when he was appointed in December 2022, enjoying a meteoric rise which analysts partly attributed to his closeness to President Xi. No official reason was given for Qin's resignation from the Central Committee.

"Qin and Xi's images are somewhat tied - there is no way to make Qin look bad without making Xi look bad," said Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub.
"Qin Gang is able to get a relatively more graceful exit. The communique grants him the dignity of appearing to 'resign' on his own volition, and still calls him a 'comrade'"