Beijing Meeting: Cai Qi Attends, Anomalies in Official Reporting

The picture shows Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, attending the National People's Congress on March 12, 2023. (Screenshot from the web)

People News - In November, when Xi Jinping visited Hubei and conducted inspections in Fujian and Anhui in October, the frequent companion to Xi, Politburo Standing Committee member, First Secretary of the Secretariat, and Director of the General Office Cai Qi, was notably absent. This unusual occurrence has raised suspicions from outsiders, leading to speculation that it is related to internal changes within the CCP since the Third Plenary Session.

On November 8, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Capital Planning and Construction Committee was held in Beijing, chaired by the Beijing Municipal Party Secretary and Director of the Committee, Yin Li. Cai Qi, also a director of the committee, attended and spoke at the meeting. However, there were anomalies in the news report about the meeting.

The report mentioned that the meeting emphasized "deeply studying Xi Jinping's important speeches on capital planning and construction," and reiterated the commitment to "resolutely relieve the non-capital functions and actively support the construction of the Xiong'an New Area," among other things.

Criticism and ridicule about the dire state of the heavily invested Xiong'an New Area have long circulated online: highways leading to Xiong'an are sparsely populated with vehicles, Xiong'an Railway Station is empty inside, weeds grow outside the station, the area is sparsely inhabited, shops have closed, and universities planning to relocate have only constructed gates. High-ranking CCP officials are undoubtedly aware of these issues, which may explain why the meeting lacked effective solutions. Compared to statements from the third meeting of this committee held in March 2023, there was a noticeable decline in confidence.

At last year's meeting, the report stated the goal of "promoting the 'new dual wings' of Beijing's sub-center and Hebei's Xiong'an New Area to soar together." The difference in wording from "soaring together" to just "actively supporting" signals a reduced level of commitment.

The most significant anomaly in the report of this meeting was the absence of the standard phrases expressing loyalty to Xi Jinping. In the 2023 report of the third meeting of this committee, there were phrases such as: "These changes are fundamentally due to Xi Jinping steering the helm, and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The next ten years are critical for the capital's planning and construction; we must profoundly comprehend the decisive significance of the 'Two Establishes' to achieve the political consciousness of 'Two Upholds.'" Such phrases were likely quotes from Cai Qi's speech.

In the 2022 report of the second meeting of the committee in November, there were phrases like: "The Party Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has always placed the planning and construction of the capital in a prominent position. Xi Jinping gave important instructions during his inspections of post-disaster recovery in Beijing and Hebei…" and "deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the 'Two Establishes,' strengthen the 'Four Consciousnesses,' firmly uphold the 'Four Confidences,' achieve the 'Two Upholds,' and adhere to the unified leadership of the Party Central Committee over the capital's planning and construction work." This also appeared to be words of allegiance from Cai Qi.

However, in this year's report on the same type of meeting, the words of loyalty to Xi seen over the past two years were entirely absent—no mention of "Xi Thought," "Establishes," or "Upholds." There was only a phrase stating, "we must deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's important speeches on the capital's planning and construction." Whether Cai Qi included these in his speech is unknown, but the report's omission suggests either that Cai Qi did not mention them, or that there was some power preventing their inclusion.

The frequency of such anomalies has been strikingly high over the past three months.

On the morning of November 5, the 7th China International Import Expo and Hongqiao International Economic Forum opened in Shanghai. Premier Li Qiang attended and delivered a keynote speech, which did not mention the party leader at all, even though the expo was personally planned, proposed, deployed, and promoted by Xi Jinping. In the previous six expos, Xi either attended in person or delivered five keynote speeches or addresses via video, with a letter sent last year. This year, however, there was no letter, and Xi's presence was overlooked—highly unusual.

On October 30, the People's Liberation Army Daily and military websites reported that, with the approval of the Central Military Commission, the Commission's General Office recently issued the Outline for the Prosperity and Development of Strong Military Culture. Unlike previous reports, references to "Xi Thought" were missing.

On October 29, during the opening session of a seminar for provincial and ministerial-level leaders studying the Third Plenary Session's spirit, Xi Jinping did not mention "Xi Thought" in his speech, and Premier Li Qiang, who presided over the meeting, did not mention it either.

On October 28, the CCP Central Committee Politburo held its regular meeting. The official media's report on the meeting omitted mentions of "Xi Thought" and "Establishes" or "Upholds."

From October 21 to 24, Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, conducted inspections in Liaoning. Reports did not include the usual references to "Xi Thought," only mentioning adherence to Xi's speech spirit.

Moreover, during September and October, Politburo Standing Committee member and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang did not mention "Xi Thought" or the "Establishes" and "Upholds" during his inspections.

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While the CCP officially continues to high-profile report on the party leader's activities, it simultaneously downplays Xi's status, reducing or omitting references to "Xi Thought," "Two Establishes," and "Two Upholds," with differing statements from Standing Committee members. Does this indicate that the party leader is no longer the core of the CCP? Is "Xi Thought" no longer in the "guiding position"? If the "Two Establishes" are no longer valid, does that mean the "Two Upholds" are also invalid?

Does this weakening of Xi's status and the anomalies surrounding his confidants like Cai Qi suggest that there are indeed significant, unknown internal upheavals within the CCP?