Suspicion over the unexplained weeks-long absence of Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu deepened on Friday, as leading western newspapers reported he was subject to a probe and a top U.S. diplomat questioned whether he was u

BEIJING, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Suspicion over the unexplained weeks-long absence of Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu deepened on Friday, as leading western newspapers reported he was subject to a probe and a top U.S. diplomat questioned whether he was under house arrest.

Li, 65, has missed meetings with Vietnamese and Singaporean defence leaders in recent weeks, according to sources with direct knowledge of the engagements. He was last seen in Beijing on Aug. 29 delivering a keynote address at a security forum with African nations.

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Citing U.S. officials, the Washington Post reported Li was under investigation for corruption and will likely be removed from his post. The Wall Street Journal also reported Li was being removed from office while the Financial Times earlier said the U.S. government believes Li is under investigation.

Rahm Emanuel, Washington's outspoken ambassador to Japan, wrote in a post on X: "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. 2nd: He was a no-show for his trip to Vietnam. Now: He’s absent from his scheduled meeting with the Singaporean Chief of Navy because he was placed on house arrest???"

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China's defense ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. embassy in Tokyo said it did not have immediate further comment.

Asked whether Li was under investigation, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters at a daily news conference that she was "not aware of the relevant information".

Li's absence follows China's unexplained replacement of its foreign minister, Qin Gang, in July after a prolonged period out of public view and a shake-up of the leadership of the People's Liberation Army's elite Rocket Force in recent months.

Like Li, Qin is one of China's five state councilors, a cabinet position that ranks higher than a regular minister.

The moves have raised questions from analysts and diplomats about a lack of transparency in China's leadership at a time when its economy is slowing and its relations with its rival superpower the United States have soured over a range of issues.

Ja Ian Chong, a scholar at the National University of Singapore, said the lack of clarity surrounding Li further underlined uncertainty over China's decision-making.

"The range of speculation demonstrates the high uncertainty of the PRC (People's Republic of China) system at present," he said.

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MISSED MEETING

Emanuel, a gregarious diplomat who served as a top aide to former U.S. President Barack Obama, has hit the headlines for a series of fiery posts directed at China in recent weeks.

The ambassador first posted about Li's public absence last Friday, stirring speculation over his whereabouts. Asked why Emanuel had weighed in on the issue, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the ambassador "throughout his career has spoken in a colorful manner".

The Singapore meeting Emanuel appeared to reference in his latest post was a visit to China by the Singapore Navy's Rear Admiral Sean Wat.

During the Sept. 4-9 trip, Wat met with China's navy commander, Dong Jun, and other navy leaders, Singapore's defense ministry said on its website. Two sources familiar with the matter said Wat had also been expected to meet with Li.

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One of the sources, an official with direct knowledge of the plans, said Wat was scheduled to meet with Li on Sept. 5 in Beijing but "it didn’t happen", without elaborating.

Singapore's defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Li also abruptly pulled out of a meeting with Vietnamese defense leaders scheduled for Sept. 7-8, Reuters exclusively reported on Thursday.

Military observers and diplomats are closely watching whether China will go ahead with plans to hold the Beijing Xiangshan Forum - an annual international security summit normally hosted by China's defense minister - in late October.

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"ROADBLOCK"

Before Li was appointed to his post in March, he had led the military's procurement unit.

In a rare notice in July, the unit said it was looking to "clean up" its bidding process and invited the public to report irregularities dating back to 2017. There has been no update on possible findings.

Li's absence is being particularly closely watched by the United States, which has not dropped sanctions imposed on him in 2018 for buying weapons from Russia's largest arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

Chinese officials have repeatedly said they want those sanctions dropped to facilitate better discussions between the two sides' militaries. U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin attempted talks with Li during a defense conference in Singapore in June, but did not get beyond a handshake.

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Wen-Ti Sung, a political scientist at the Australian National University, said that although Li had been a "roadblock" in U.S.-China military relations, his unexplained absence is problematic for China's international relations in other ways.

"Other countries will be wondering something as basic as whose number to call when they want to set up military dialogues with China," he said.

Reporting by Yew Lun Tian, Laurie Chen and Martin Pollard in Beijing, Yukiko Toyoda in Tokyo and Xinghui Kok in Singapore; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Neil Fullick, Lincoln Feast, Gerry Doyle and Simon Cameron-Moore