It is not uncommon for public figures to vanish unexpectedly in Xi’s land. The mystery surrounding the disappearance of former Chinese minister Qin Gang and his loss of the coveted position in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government is yet to be resolved, while another high-profile Xi Jinping minister is also missing from public view. General Li Shangfu, China’s heavyweight defence minister, has not been seen in public for more than three weeks. Li Shangfu’s absence was highlighted when he failed to attend the much-anticipated border ceremony hosted by Vietnam near the China border on 7-8 September.
