China appoints Defense Minister, General Shangfu already under US sanctions

BEIJING - The National People's Congress, China's highest national legislative institution, has appointed General Li Shangfu, an aerospace engineer, as the country's new defense minister. Li Shangfu has been subjected to sanctions by the United States for military cooperation with Russia. Deputies from China's National People's Congress (NPC) have approved the appointment of 65-year-old General Li Shangfu as Minister of National Defense.

The vote took place this morning during the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC. Ding Xuexiang, He Lifeng, Zhang Guoqing and Liu Guozhong have been approved for the posts of vice premier. Li Shangfu, Wang Xiaohong, Wu Zhenglong, Shen Yiqin and Qin Gang were approved as Chinese state councilors. NPC lawmakers also confirmed the appointment of the State Council general secretary (Wu Zhenglong) and approved the heads of 26 State Council departments. On Saturday, the NPC - China's supreme state authority - approved Li Qiang's appointment as premier. On Friday, MPs unanimously re-elected Xi Jinping as President of China for a third five-year term.