China on Friday appointed a new defense minister to replace Li Shangfu, who was ousted from his post earlier this year after just seven months into the job, and hasn’t been seen in public since August.
The appointment of Dong Jun, who has been the commander of China’s navy since 2021, comes amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and across the Taiwan Strait.
As defense minister, Dong will be the public face of the People’s Liberation Army and hold high-level talks with other militaries, including the U.S.
