China names replacement for defence minister who vanished

News Snapshot:

Beijing | China named former Navy chief Dong Jun as its new defence minister on Friday to replace the last minister who disappeared from public view four months ago. The appointment by Chinese lawmakers comes as President Xi Jinping upgrades the military as part of his push to make China a dominant world power, a goal that has alarmed many neighbours. The role of China’s defence minister is to be the public face of the People’s Liberation Army in its engagement with the media and with other armed forces. A crucial element of his job is to engage with the...