Li Qiang’s Shanghai Speech Does Not Mention Xi: Strange Official Media Coverage and Evident Factional Splits in Zhongnanhai

On March 5, Chinese Premier Li Qiang performed a deep bow, nearly 90 degrees, before delivering the work report at the National People's Congress (NPC) full session. (Screenshot from the web)

[People News] On the morning of November 5, Beijing time, the 7th China International Import Expo and Hongqiao International Economic Forum opened in Shanghai. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. However, strangely enough, while overseas Chinese media quickly released reports on Li Qiang's speech by midday, the Chinese state media remained unusually silent.

It wasn’t until after 8 p.m. Beijing time that state media outlets Xinhua News Agency and People's Daily published written reports about Li Qiang’s participation and speech at the Expo’s opening. Notably, there were no accompanying images. The news about "Li Qiang's meeting with exhibitors and buyers at the 7th China International Import Expo" from November 4 was also absent from the homepage and was only tucked away under Li Qiang's personal news section.

The nearly 10-hour delay in reporting on the Expo and Li Qiang’s speech is a clear act of neglect. This delay is not due to the media's reporting speed but likely an order from higher authorities to downplay Li Qiang’s role in the Expo. Delayed reporting appears to be a deliberate method, undoubtedly directed by someone higher in the party hierarchy than Li Qiang. But why?

Looking at CCTV's evening news at 7 p.m., the broadcast mentioned the Expo, Li Qiang's speech, and his meetings with foreign dignitaries only after several stories featuring the top party leader. These stories included Xi Jinping's inspection of the Air Force, congratulatory messages to foreign leaders, and announcements about upcoming visits by foreign officials. The news highlighted Li Qiang stating that "holding the Expo is an important step in China's commitment to further opening up" and "China is willing to further open its vast market," but did not mention Xi Jinping.

The way CCTV reported this reflects a subtle sidelining of Li Qiang's speech, placing it after almost 10 minutes of reports on Xi Jinping, downplaying the significance of the Expo. This arrangement reinforced Xi's status as "the leader" while diminishing the importance of both the Expo and Li Qiang's involvement. But why?

Another strange incident occurred: from daytime, Xinhua News Agency and People's Daily headlines focused on "Xi Jinping's inspection tour in Hubei," yet the evening news didn’t mention this inspection, opting instead to report on Xi’s visit to an airborne corps unit accompanied by He Weidong. This corps is based in Hubei. Why the shift?

During recent CCP Politburo and provincial-level leadership meetings, state media reiterated the need for expanded reforms and opening up. Yet, state media's downplaying of the Expo and Li Qiang’s statements indicates more complexity behind the scenes.

The author believes that whether it's the delayed reporting on the Expo and Li Qiang’s speech or CCTV’s emphasis on Xi inspecting the Air Force rather than his tour in Hubei to underline his position, it reveals that splits within the CCP's top leadership are becoming visible.

Why do I say this? Since the CCP’s third plenary session in July, under both domestic and international pressure, the party has signaled major reforms and openness to attract foreign enterprises and investors, making the Expo’s importance self-evident.

It is well known that the Shanghai Expo was personally planned, proposed, organized, and promoted by Xi Jinping, receiving significant attention from the central authorities and the Shanghai government. It remains the world’s first national-level exhibition focusing on imports. During the first Expo on November 5, 2018, Xi emphasized that the Expo "should not only continue annually but also improve and achieve better results."

Between 2018 and 2022, Xi Jinping made five keynote speeches or addresses at the Expo, either in person or via video—even during the pandemic. However, he was absent from last year's Expo. Although Li Qiang attended and delivered the keynote speech, he mentioned Xi’s congratulatory message, which reiterated China's "firm determination to promote high-level openness and build an open world economy," a statement met with skepticism.

At the time, I analyzed that one reason for Xi's absence might have been related to the sudden death of former Premier Li Keqiang in Shanghai. Official reports stated Li Keqiang died of a sudden heart attack while "resting" in Shanghai, but inconsistencies and rumors pointed to the possibility of foul play, with some suspecting Xi’s involvement.

If Xi had reasons for missing last year’s Expo, the current rumors and challenges should have motivated him to attend this year's event to showcase his standing by hosting and meeting foreign guests.

Yet, Xi was absent again, potentially barred from attending. Strikingly, Li Qiang's speech neither mentioned Xi’s name nor a congratulatory message from Xi, raising questions about whether Xi refrained from writing one or was restricted from doing so. This silence undoubtedly undermines Xi’s image, and the fact that Li Qiang acted this way suggests only one possibility: Xi's weakening power and the presence of another power holder.

Given this premise, the anomalies in state media can be explained. Since the propaganda system is still controlled by Xi’s faction, delays and downplaying in reporting on the Expo and Li Qiang’s speech make sense. Reporting on Xi inspecting the Air Force instead of his Hubei tour softens the embarrassment of missing the Expo, presenting the military visit as more significant.

The author wonders why Xi chose to inspect in Hubei during the Expo. Was this a voluntary or involuntary move to create an excuse for himself? Notably, Xi's visit involved the Air Force under the Central Theater Command, led by Wang Qiang, a trusted associate of Zhang Youxia. Moreover, Xi's speeches during this visit contained no novel content, suggesting he may have been there just to maintain visibility.

In conclusion, the anomalies in CCP state media and the top leadership, particularly Xi's absence from the Expo and the absence of his congratulatory message, Li Qiang's omission of Xi in his speech, and the unusual media coverage, indicate that the fractures within the CCP's top leadership are now on display and are likely to deepen.