Showing zero public exposure for two weeks, Li Shangfu has caused lots of speculation about his whereabouts.
Mr. Li attended a China-Africa forum in Beijing on Aug. 29, he has never been seen in public after that.
A Former Chinese Navy Lieutenant Colonel said Mr. Li is very likely arrested and under investigation.
Beijing’s personnel changes are highly confidential, Mr. Li is not an isolated case.
The most bizarre case recently is linked to former Foreign Minister Qin Gang.
After his month-long disappearance from public view, Mr. Qin was removed from his position in July.
Also in July, leadership in China’s elite troop—Rocket and Nuclear Weapon Force—revealed the previous chief and commissars had been ousted months ago.
The news raised eyebrows overseas. The U.S. ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, mocked the recent changes on his social media platform.
He compared it to a well-known detective book “And Then There Were None”.