BEIJING: China named a former navy commander as its new defence minister on Friday, months after his predecessor was sacked as part of a series of mysterious dismissals of military and political leaders.

Dong’s promotion comes at a sensitive time, as Beijing ups military pressure on the self-ruled island of Taiwan ahead of presidential elections next month and grows increasingly assertive in disputed waters in the South China Sea.

His predecessor Li Shangfu was ousted after seven months in the role following a lengthy absence from public view — one in a series of recent high-level disappearances from the country’s military establishment and political class.

In July, foreign minister Qin Gang was removed from office after disappearing from the public eye for a month.