China unveils Xi Jinping’s brand new Cabinet, missile expert named as new defence minister

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang today unveiled his new Cabinet as part of the government’s efforts to stabilise the world’s second largest economy and appointed a missile expert as the defence minister amidst regional tensions with its neighbours over territorial disputes.

The new line-up approved by the rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress, includes four Vice Premiers, Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan, Hu Chunhua and Liu He.

Their names were approved by nearly 3,000 deputies of the NPC after they were proposed by Premier Li Keqiang, who himself was re-appointed to the post under the new political setup headed by President Xi Jinping.

Xi was re-elected last week for a second five-year term, days after the NPC ratified constitutional amendment, removing term limits for President and Vice President. His close confidant and former anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan has been elected as the Vice President.

Vice Premier Liu He is expected to play a bigger role in the management of the Chinese economy, the world’s second largest after the US.

China which was witnessing nearly three decades of double-digit growth slowed down in 2016 with a slight improvement last year. Debt?fuelled investment in infrastructure and real estate has underpinned China’s growth for years.

While Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi …read more