General Li Sangfu, who was sanctioned by the US government in 2018 for approving the purchase of Russian weapons systems, is taking over today as China’s new defense minister.

At the same time, Qin Gang remained as Minister of Justice, He Rong retained the portfolio of Minister of Justice, Chen Yixin remained as Minister of State Security, and Wang Xiaohong as Minister of Public Security.

Tension between the US and China continues to rise recently, after the downing of an unmanned Chinese hot air balloon — Washington said it was a spy balloon that was going to photograph sensitive military installations, Beijing said it was a meteorological data collection system that inadvertently entered the American airspace, because it was blown away by winds— by an American fighter jet.

The US also accuses China of considering supplying Russia with weapons for use in the war in Ukraine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in an unusually sharp tone, rebuked the United States for implementing and pressuring its allies to follow a policy of “encirclement” and “repression” of his country, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

For some analysts, General Lee’s appointment is a “deliberate” reaction to the sanctions imposed on him. For Manoj Kevalramani of India’s Takshashila Institute, the decision “shows” that Beijing intends to “pull the strings”, while also meaning that “a new hurdle will be added to contacts between the US and China” at the ministerial level. Defense, which “were already very limited”.