Analysis: Li Xi is preparing to "cleanse" the territories of Cai Qi and Wang Huning.

On March 5, 2024, military delegates attending the CCP National People&9;s Congress arrived outside the Great Hall of the People.(online screenshot)

October 30, 2024: The latest round of central inspections, led by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), will focus on the CCP’s ideological and united front systems, headed by the Central Propaganda Department and the United Front Work Department. Analysts believe that the anti-corruption drive led by Xi Jinping's close confidant, Li Xi, involves high-level internal struggles and aims to "cleanse" the territories of Cai Qi and Wang Huning, known as the "Master of Three Dynasties."

On October 30, Chinese state media reported that the fourth round of central inspections under the CCP’s 20th Central Committee includes the Central Propaganda Department (Central Office for Spiritual Civilization Development), the United Front Work Department, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Taiwan Affairs Office, the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), the Central Institute for Party History and Literature Research, the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, the People’s Daily, Qiushi magazine, Guangming Daily, China Daily, Economic Daily, Science and Technology Daily, the Pudong Cadre College, the Jinggangshan Cadre College, the Yan'an Cadre College, the Central Institute of Socialism, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the Communist Youth League Central Committee, the All-China Women’s Federation, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the China Writers’ Association, the China Federation of Overseas Chinese, the All-China Journalists Association, the All-China Taiwan Compatriots Association, the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Radio and Television Administration, Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Media Group, and the National Cultural Heritage Administration, totaling 34 units.

On the same day, Li Xi, a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and head of the Central Inspection Work Leading Group, attended a deployment meeting and delivered a speech.

Current affairs commentator Li Linyi noted that internal CCP struggles are relentless, and after the 20th Party Congress, when Xi's close associates took full control, the "anti-corruption" tool for purging dissenters fell into Li Xi’s hands. The targets of this purge include other members of Xi's camp, as well as retained figures like Wang Huning and Zhao Leji. The new round of CCDI inspections targets the Secretary of the CCP Central Secretariat responsible for ideology, Cai Qi, and Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who oversees united front work.

On October 23, independent commentator Cai Shenkun revealed on his media program that Xi Jinping is most wary of state-level leaders cultivating their own confidants. Thus, he has adopted a "feather-cutting" approach with figures like Li Yuanchao, Wang Qishan, and Zhao Leji, thoroughly clipping the wings of those close to them. Xi aims to render these political veterans isolated and unable to pose any future threat. However, he generally refrains from purging the state-level leaders themselves, instead opting to closely monitor them and sever their connections with top party and government officials.

Cai Shenkun stated that Zhang Xiaolian, the former head of the Heilongjiang Provincial Propaganda Department who fell from grace on October 21, was a crucial subordinate of Li Zhanshu in Heilongjiang. CCDI Secretary Li Xi is "cleansing" Li Zhanshu's former associates one by one.

It is reported that retired former Politburo Standing Committee member Li Zhanshu, despite his contributions to Xi, remains under close scrutiny. After his retirement, numerous issues have surfaced, some of which have even landed on Xi’s desk.

In recent years, several high-ranking leaders, whether active or retired, have shown signs of being subjected to "skirt-cutting" operations, as Li Xi purges their followers.

Since assuming his role as a Politburo Standing Committee member and CCDI Secretary following the 20th CCP Congress in 2022, Li Xi has for the first time proposed a thorough clean-up of CCDI “insiders” and has detained a large number of individuals who were promoted by his predecessor, Zhao Leji. Additionally, several individuals promoted by Zhao during his tenure as head of the Organization Department have also been investigated, including Luo Yulin, who served under Zhao in Qinghai.

During Xi Jinping's first term, Wang Qishan served as CCDI Secretary, retiring as vice president in March 2023. Over the past few years, many of Wang’s former associates have been taken down and handed heavy sentences. On October 10 this year, Fan Yifei, the former vice governor of the People's Bank of China, who served as Wang’s financial manager at China Construction Bank, was sentenced to a suspended death sentence; Tian Huiyu, former head of China Merchants Bank and a former secretary of Wang, was convicted of embezzling 5 billion yuan and also received a suspended death sentence; another former secretary of Wang, Dong Hong, a former deputy head of the CCDI’s inspection group, was also sentenced to death with a reprieve.

On September 28, 2023, China Unicom’s Deputy General Manager Cao Xingxin was investigated. Cao had been parachuted into China Unicom from the Organization Department, previously headed by Chen Xi, in early 2022. Cao had a long-standing career at the Organization Department, where he served as Party Secretary and Vice President of the National Academy of Organization Officers (a ministerial-level position).

Political commentator Chen Pokong pointed out that Cao Xingxin is a confidant of former Organization Department head Chen Xi.

Chen Xi, a university classmate of Xi Jinping, stepped down as head of the Organization Department in April last year but currently serves as President of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance).

The latest units to be inspected include the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), which is also under the oversight of Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi.

Editor: Gao Jing