China's Communist Party expels former defence minister Li Shangfu

BEIJING – Former Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party, state media said on June 27, after he was sacked abruptly in 2023 in unexplained circumstances. "The Politburo… has decided to expel Li Shangfu from the party, terminate his credentials as a representative of the 20th National Congress, and transfer his suspected criminal issues to military procuratorial organs for review and prosecution," state broadcaster CCTV said. The Communist Party's powerful Politburo of senior leaders convened on June 27 to review a report on Li's status. There, they ruled Li had "betrayed his original mission…