Mysterious Disappearances Plague Chinese Officials, Including Defence Minister
China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu has disappeared and is being investigated for corruption, marking the latest case of a senior official in President Xi Jinping's entourage mysteriously vanishing. The disappearance often indicates that an official is under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which polices officials suspected of violating party regulations or state laws. Previous disappearances have lasted weeks or months, such as the case of former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who has been missing since June 25. Other missing officials include ex-Industry Minister Xiao Yaqing and ex-Rocket Force leaders Li Yuchao and Xu Zhongbo.