Why hasn’t Beijing appointed a new defense minister?

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Since China’s missing minister drama unfolded during the summer, China hasn’t had a defense minister. Beijing has suspended military communications with Washington after Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last August. At the Biden-Xi meeting in San Francisco this week, the US and China agreed to resume military talks. But who will be China’s new defense minister talking to the Americans? General Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the Central Military Commission’s Joint Staff Department, is the most likely candidate. But why is Xi Jinping still hesitating?