In this era where the fraying of the international order raises concerns, Cabinet ministers of leading powers, who play a crucial role in sending out messages about their nations’ foreign and security policies, bear a heavy responsibility and presence.

From this point of view, the recent consecutive dismissals of China’s foreign and defense ministers are deeply disturbing.

Li Shangfu, who served not only as China’s minister of national defense but also held a position equivalent to deputy prime minister as a state councilor, was sacked just seven months after taking office.

As China's top defense policy official, Li was responsible for military diplomacy and was engaged in dialogues with his foreign counterparts and attended international conferences for communication with other countries, but his successor has not yet been announced.

In July, Qin Gang, who was the public face of China’s diplomacy, was also dismissed. Both individuals were believed to be highly trusted and valued by President Xi Jinping, but their tenures ended up being the shortest periods of service for their posts in history.

No explanation has been provided for either dismissal, reinforcing the impression of China’s strong inclination toward secrecy.

Li rose through the ranks of the nation’s air force, holding various positions related to space rocket research and development projects, including the lunar exploration program. He was also in charge of China's weapons procurement as the head of the Central Military Commission’s Equipment Development Department.

There were signs that he was suspected of corruption. The military is investigating bidding irregularities for equipment purchases dating to when Li was director of the Equipment Development Department.

Prior to Li’s firing, two of the most senior officials in the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force were replaced in August.

When asked about the replacements at a news conference, defense ministry spokesman Wu Qian said, "Our fight against corruption will never stop.” His words were seen as a sign of an investigation into a corruption scandal involving Li.

The Xi administration has been staging a rigorous campaign to rid the military of corruption, relentlessly firing even top uniformed officials when they were charged with this dishonest conduct.

If corruption has not been eradicated despite the campaign, it can be said that the situation within the military is quite serious. This year, Xi himself emphasized his government’s unwavering anti-corruption policy during his military inspections.

Regarding Qin, who had already been sacked as the nation’s top diplomat, his dismissal from his remaining position as a state councilor was announced.

There were reports that he had been embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct and leaking confidential information, but the Chinese government has maintained its silence.

In past cases of the sacking of top officials, information about their corrupt behavior and depraved lifestyles were revealed to a certain extent. Beijing traditionally adopted the political tactics of exposing the wrongdoing of high-ranking officials to boost the support of the masses for the supreme leader.

Why is this time different? We cannot help wondering if the allegations against the top officials this time are extremely serious. Concerns about the future of the Xi regime are bound to deepen.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the crisis in the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip are profoundly shaking the international order.

While the United States and China are responsible for seeking cooperation to resolve these security crises, the risk of unforeseen conflicts between the two superpowers is increasing, as indicated by recent incidents where military aircraft and ships from both sides approached dangerously close to each other.

This is an alarming and distressing situation.

China must promptly rebuild its governing and administrative competence to fulfill its responsibility to explain its policies and actions as a major power on both the diplomatic and security fronts.

The country must also hold pragmatic and cool-headed dialogues with other countries, particularly the United States.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 26