Did China Lose A Submarine In The Taiwan Straits?

[Rightguide]

SMART BOMBS: MILITARY, DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY​

China’s Defense Minister Has Gone ‘Missing’​

Three weeks have passed since Gen. Li Shangfu was last seen in public, and there is no official confirmation about what has happened to the Chinese defense minister. His unexplained absence highlights the opaque and complex nature of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.

By
Peter Suciu

Three weeks have passed since Gen. Li Shangfu was last seen in public, and there is no official confirmation about what has happened to the Chinese defense minister. His unexplained absence highlights the opaque and complex nature of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.

Li is a technocrat and a veteran of China’s military modernization drive. He rose through the ranks to become defense minister earlier this year. Last Friday, Li was reported to be the subject of a corruption probe. Li, who is under investigation over procurement of military equipment during his previous role in the PLA, was last seen in Beijing on Aug. 29 delivering a keynote address at a security forum with African nations.

“President Xi’s cabinet lineup is now resembling Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None. First, Foreign Minister Qin Gang goes missing, then the Rocket Force commanders go missing, and now Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn’t been seen in public for two weeks. Who’s going to win this unemployment race? China’s youth or Xi’s cabinet? #MysteryInBeijingBuilding,” the post from @USAmbJapan noted, referencing the Hulu original series, “Only Murders in the Building.”


Li and That “Missing Submarine”

The timing of Li’s last public appearance coincided with rumors that a Chinese Type 093 (Shang-class) nuclear-powered submarine suffered a serious mishap while transiting the Taiwan Strait. There has been no confirmed loss of a submarine, and even Taipei has sought to quash such speculation.

More here: https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/09/chinas-defense-minister-has-gone-missing/

Sounds like a typical Commie move.

 

[Rotadom]

Sounds like a typical Commie move.

How would you know? You think anyone left of trump is a commie.

 

[Rightguide]

How would you know? You think anyone left of trump is a commie.

Because, unlike you, I have studied the Chinese Communists.

 

[Bray123]

Howard Hughes' ghost enters the chat.

 

[Rightguide]

Howard Hughes' ghost enters the chat.

More Democrat Donkey noise.

 

[Bray123]

^^^
Doesn't know shit.

 

[Bray123]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glomar_Explorer

 

[Fuzzy1975]

^^^
Doesn't know shit.

I don't know, he sure talks about "shit" a lot. More than a normal person should IMHO. He might just be an expert on "shit"....

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Because, unlike you, I have studied the Chinese Communists.

"studied" = obsessing over Cold War Era fetish blogs online to feed my post-retirement age paranoia

 

[Rotadom]

Because, unlike you, I have studied the Chinese Communists.

Oh, I see. It's your comprehension that fails you.

 

[Chobham]

The bets are on a loss in the Yellow Sea, not the Straits. The parties that would know for certain are, of course, the Chinese, the S. Koreans, and us and nobodies talking.

The water there is too shallow for a catastrophic implosion so a collision with some underwater structure ala the USS Connecticutt is more likely. Satellite imagery will eventually confirm whether the loss is real or rumor.

The rate of Xi's elimination of his top military is astounding. Reminescent of Stalin's purges during the 1930's. The big question is, "What are his reasons?" Did he consider them a threat to his power? Does he want the military to take some action that the top tier didn't/doesn't want to? Xi is even more isolated than Putin so one guess is as good as another.

 

[schism666]

The bets are on a loss in the Yellow Sea, not the Straits. The parties that would know for certain are, of course, the Chinese, the S. Koreans, and us and nobodies talking.

The water there is too shallow for a catastrophic implosion so a collision with some underwater structure ala the USS Connecticutt is more likely. Satellite imagery will eventually confirm whether the loss is real or rumor.

The rate of Xi's elimination of his top military is astounding. Reminescent of Stalin's purges during the 1940's. The big question is, "What are his reasons?" Did he consider them a threat to his power? Does he want the military to take some action that the top tier didn't/doesn't want to? Xi is even more isolated than Putin so one guess is as good as another.

what? you're fbi pals haven't given you the skinny yet?