"US Diplomat Raises Concerns Over Chinese Defense Minister's Mysterious Absence"
The U.S. ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, questioned on social media whether China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu had been placed under house arrest, adding to confusion about his two-week absence from public view. The U.S. government believes Li is under investigation, but the nature of the investigation is unknown. This follows China's unexplained replacement of its foreign minister in July and a shake-up in the leadership of the People's Liberation Army's elite Rocket Force, raising concerns about transparency and decision-making in China's leadership.