China appoints a new defense minister after months of uncertainty following firing of predecessor

BEIJING (AP) — China has appointed a new defense minister after months of uncertainty following the firing of his predecessor for reasons that have yet to be explained. The official Xinhua News Agency announced Friday that former navy commander Dong Jun will serve in the largely ceremonial role, but offered no comment on the reasons for the switch or the current circumstances of previous minister Li Shangfu, who has not been seen or heard from since August. The uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the world’s largest standing military comes as Washington and its Asian allies are offering stronger resistance to China’s bid to assert itself as the dominant military power in the region.