General Li Shangfu, named China’s new defence minister on Sunday, is a veteran of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) modernization drive, which prompted the U.S. to sanction him for acquiring weapons from Russia.

Despite the fact that his new position within the Chinese system is largely diplomatic and ceremonial, regional diplomats say Li’s appointment is being closely watched given his background. His tenure begins as Washington works to restore military dialogue and communications that deteriorated after Beijing reacted angrily to then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s August visit to Taiwan.

Li will play a significant role in achieving the interim goals of President Xi Jinping’s goals for the PLA thanks to his background as a technocrat and aerospace engineer who worked on China’s satellite programme. His tenure as a member of the Central Military Commission has highlighted his ties to Xi, who has tightened his grip on the military.

Mr Li was named deputy commander of the PLA’s then-new Strategic Support Force in 2016, an elite body tasked with accelerating China’s space and cyber warfare capabilities development.

He was then named head of the Central Military Commission (CMC), China’s governing defence body led by President Xi Jinping.

Li Shangfu, who is the defence minister, is likely to be actively involved in military affairs in Asia and will likely attend gatherings of Asian defence chiefs and the informal Shangri-La Dialogue on Security in Singapore, among other events.

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