Xi appointed a US-sanctioned defense minister

China’s National People’s Congress (ANP, equivalent to the legislature) yesterday approved the appointment as General Li Shangfu’s new defense minister, what was that sanctioned in 2018 by the United States accused of buying weapons from the Russian state company Rosoboronexport.

In 2018, then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions against the Chinese company Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its then director Li Shangfu for bought weapons from the Russian state company Rosoboronexport. According to the State Department, the Chinese company was sanctioned for acquiring Su-35 fighter jets in 2017 and equipment related to the S-400 surface-to-air missile system in 2018.

Foreign spokesman Geng Shuang at the time expressed “great indignation” at the sanctions and called on Washington to withdraw them. Geng justified the purchase and claimed that Russia is Beijing’s “strategic cooperation partner”.

new government

The ANP yesterday concluded the reshuffle of China’s executive branch after the appointment on Saturday the new prime minister, Li Qiang, at the suggestion of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Li, formerly responsible for the country’s largest business hub, Shanghai, will have a difficult mission lay the foundations for the recovery of the world’s second largest economy. ANP also appointed wang xiaohong Minister of Public Security i Chen Yixin the Minister of State Security, who will lead the internal and intelligence apparatus. Likewise, the plenary session approved the stay y gang as central bank governor, Liu Kun as Minister of Finance wang went away as Minister of Trade.

The new executive must also advance guidelines such as achieving “scientific and technological self-sufficiency,” a response to Washington’s veto on the production of American chips for Chinese companies.