Photo: Минобороны России / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Li Shangfu

李尚福　/　り・しょうふく

Military officer from People's Republic of China

February 1, 1958 (age 68)　・　Chengdu, People's Republic of China

military officer
military flight engineer
minister

My Take

Li Shangfu is a figure whose story turned almost surreal. An aerospace engineer who came up through the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, he rose to become China's Minister of National Defense in March 2023, only to vanish from public view and be removed by October the same year. I find the whole arc fascinating and a little chilling, a man who literally helped launch satellites, sidelined in a matter of months. His career is a stark reminder of how opaque and unforgiving the upper reaches of Chinese politics can be, where even a defense minister can disappear without clear explanation.

Overview

Li Shangfu (Chinese: 李尚福; pinyin: Lǐ Shàngfú; born February 1958) is a Chinese aerospace engineer and former military administrator. He served as the 13th Minister of National Defense and as State Councillor of China from March to October 2023. Li joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) as a technician at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in 1982.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Profile

Name (English): Li Shangfu
Name (Japanese): 李尚福
Reading: り・しょうふく
Born: February 1, 1958 (age 68)
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Aquarius / Dog
Origin: Chengdu, People's Republic of China
Blood type: Private
Height: Private
Agency: Private
Occupation: military officer / military flight engineer / minister

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: National University of Defense Technology

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

4. Personality

Motto

Private

6. Links

Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%8E%E5%B0%9A%E7%A6%8F

Military officer — see all →　·　More people from People's Republic of China →