Li Shangfu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Li Shangfu
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李尚福
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Li in 2023
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| State Councilor of China | |
| In office 12 March 2023 – 24 October 2023 Serving with Wang Xiaohong, Wu Zhenglong, Shen Yiqin, and Qin Gang
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| Premier | Li Qiang |
| 13th Minister of National Defense | |
| In office 12 March 2023 – 24 October 2023 |
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| Premier | Li Qiang |
| CMC Chairman | Xi Jinping |
| Preceded by | Wei Fenghe |
| Succeeded by | Dong Jun |
| Head of the Equipment Development Department | |
| In office September 2017 – October 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Zhang Youxia |
| Succeeded by | Xu Xueqiang |
| Commander of the China Manned Space Program | |
| In office September 2023 – October 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Zhang Youxia |
| Succeeded by | Xu Xueqiang |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 1958 (age 67) Chengdu, Sichuan, China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party (1980–2024; expelled) |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  People's Republic of China |
| Branch/service |  People's Liberation Army Ground Force People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force |
| Years of service | 1982–2024 |
| Rank |  General(stripped in 2024) |
Li Shangfu (Chinese: 李尚福; pinyin: Lǐ Shàngfú; born in February 1958) is a Chinese aerospace engineer and a former high-ranking military official. He held important roles, including China's Minister of National Defense and State Councillor, from March to October 2023.
He started his military career in 1982 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a place where rockets are launched into space. He worked there for 31 years, even becoming its director for 10 years. Later, he held leadership positions in departments that handle military equipment development. In 2019, he was given the high rank of General. He became a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) in October 2022.
In March 2023, he was appointed as the 13th Minister of National Defense and a State Councillor. However, he disappeared from public view in August 2023 and was removed from his positions on October 24, 2023. He served as Minister of National Defense for the shortest time in China's history. His rank of General was later taken away.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Li Shangfu was born in February 1958 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. His family originally came from Xingguo County in Jiangxi Province. His father, Li Shaozhu, was a veteran of the Chinese Red Army and a high-ranking officer.
Li Shangfu joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1978 when he began studying at the National University of Defense Technology. He became a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 1980. After finishing his studies in 1982, he started working as a technician at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. He also earned a Doctor of Engineering degree from Chongqing University.
Military Career
In December 2003, at the age of 45, Li Shangfu became the Director (Commander) of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. In 2006, he was promoted to the rank of major general. During his ten years as director, he oversaw many important rocket launches, including the Chang'e 2 lunar probe launch in October 2010.
After working at Xichang for 31 years, Li was appointed Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army General Armaments Department (GAD) in 2013. A year later, he became the deputy director of the GAD.
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In 2016, Li was appointed Deputy Commander of the new People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force. This force is responsible for advanced warfare areas like cyberspace and space. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in the same year. In September 2017, Li became the Director of the Equipment Development Department of the CMC. This department handles the development of military equipment.
In October 2017, Li was chosen to be a member of the 19th CCP Central Committee. He was promoted to major general in July 2006, lieutenant general in August 2016, and general in July 2019.
Leadership Roles
In October 2022, Li Shangfu was chosen to be a member of the 20th CMC of the CCP by Xi Jinping, who is the Party's general secretary. He was ranked as one of the most important members of the CMC.
On March 12, 2023, he was appointed as a State Councillor and the Minister of National Defense, taking over from Wei Fenghe. Experts believe his promotion showed China's focus on improving its aerospace technology for defense, especially as technology competition with the United States grew.
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Li Shangfu made his first trip overseas as Minister of Defense to Russia on April 17, 2023. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow. He said that the strong relationship between China and Russia was even better than military alliances from the Cold War era. On April 28, he met with Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, India. This was the first visit to India by a Chinese Defense Minister since border conflicts in 2020.
In June 2023, at a security meeting in Singapore, Li stated that a war with the United States would be a terrible disaster. He emphasized that both countries needed to find more common ground despite recent tensions.
Removal from Office
In September 2023, news reports suggested that Li Shangfu was being investigated. He was not seen in public, and U.S. government officials believed he was under investigation.
On October 24, 2023, the 14th National People's Congress decided to remove Li Shangfu from his positions as State Councillor and Minister of National Defense. He was also removed from the CMC. He served as Minister of National Defense for only seven months, making him the shortest-serving minister in that role for the People's Republic of China. His last public appearance was on August 29, 2023.
In June 2024, the CCP Politburo announced that Li had been removed from the party. His case was then sent to military legal authorities. He was also stripped of his rank of general.
International Relations and Sanctions
U.S. Sanctions
On September 20, 2018, Li Shangfu and the Equipment Development Department were sanctioned by the U.S. government. This was because they were involved in transactions with sanctioned individuals under a U.S. law called CAATSA. These transactions included Russia selling Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 missile systems to China. Because of these sanctions, Li was placed on a special list of individuals whose assets are blocked.
Despite these sanctions, he was still allowed to attend official meetings with U.S. officials. In May 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned that his administration was thinking about lifting the sanctions on Li. However, a U.S. State Department spokesperson later clarified that they were not considering lifting them.
Images for kids
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General rank insignia
See also
In Spanish: Li Shangfu para niños
