Absence of Chinese general He Weidong from Politburo study session fuels speculation
In one of He’s last public appearances on March 5 he called for improvements to military training and the advance of anti-corruption efforts
Beijing has not offered an official explanation, but He’s absence is not expected to affect China’s political stability, according to an analyst.
He, the second-ranked vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) and one of the 24 members of the Communist Party’s Politburo, last appeared in public on March 11.
He did not attend a Politburo study session presided over by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, a regular gathering that included Zhang Youxia, the CMC’s first vice-president, according to footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday.
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He has also been missing in recent weeks from a series of key events at which top CMC leaders would generally be present, according to information and footage released by state media.