BEIJING – General Li Shangfu, a veteran of China's military modernisation drive, rose through the ranks to become defence minister this year. Within six months, he disappeared under the cloud of a corruption probe. Gen Li grew to prominence under President Xi Jinping's pursuit of military might during his decade in power while China's relations with the United States soured over issues including Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province to be reunified, by force if necessary. But part of Mr Xi's drive to improve his fighting force has been to stamp out corruption that has long plagued China's…