Caption: Rumors from Beijing suggest plans to bring down the "New Gang of Four." (Illustration by People News)
[People News] Many signs have already been analyzed, such as the military downplaying references to "Chairman Xi" and avoiding slogans like "2442" that express loyalty, as well as military performances no longer praising Xi. These all indicate that Xi Jinping has lost control over the military, while Zhang Youxia, the First Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), has effectively taken command of the armed forces with the backing of CCP elders. A new piece of evidence emerged again just before the Chinese New Year.
As per tradition, before the Chinese New Year, the two Vice Chairmen of the CMC, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong, visited military units to offer their greetings. Zhang Youxia visited a unit of the Information Support Force stationed in Shenyang, while He Weidong visited an Air Force radar unit and an air transport and search-and-rescue brigade stationed in Beijing. Some analysts speculate that Zhang Youxia’s shift from inspecting Beijing-based units to visiting troops in Shenyang could signal an escalation of military infighting. However, I have a different perspective.
First, Zhang Youxia took the opportunity to visit the Information Support Force while accompanying Xi Jinping to Shenyang. This move served two purposes: saving time and showcasing his actual position of power. In December of last year, Xi had just inspected the Information Support Force, yet this time, while Xi visited the Northern Theater Command headquarters and connected remotely with frontline troops, Zhang Youxia conducted his own visit. "Big Boss Xi" appeared more like a performer going through the motions, merely engaging in theoretical discussions, while a group of senior officers played along. In contrast, the real power in the military lay with Zhang Youxia.
Second, during his visit to the Information Support Force, Zhang Youxia made some formal remarks, such as extending greetings on behalf of Xi, emphasizing the need to "resolutely implement Chairman Xi’s decisions," and urging troops to "truly learn, understand, believe in, and apply Xi Jinping’s thought on strengthening the military." However, his statement about "further strengthening the political character of obeying the Party’s command" subtly revealed the true situation regarding who the military actually follows.
Traditionally, the Chinese military’s rhetoric states that troops must "firmly obey the command of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Chairman Xi," with particular emphasis on "Chairman Xi." He Weidong had used this exact phrasing during last year’s visits. However, Zhang Youxia’s choice of words—"further strengthening obedience to the Party’s command"—implies that the military has already been following "the Party" for some time, and now needs to reinforce that stance. In other words, the military is no longer following Xi, and Zhang Youxia’s message was directed at any officers still unsure about who they should take orders from.
Third, He Weidong, a close ally of Xi and an Army officer by background, was sent to visit Air Force units in Beijing, where he spoke about "the Two Establishes," "the Two Safeguards," and upholding the CMC chairman responsibility system. However, his visit was largely symbolic—no one actually paid attention to what he said.
This is because the Air Force units stationed in Beijing fall under the Central Theater Command, and its commander, Wang Qiang, 61, is a trusted ally of Zhang Youxia. Wang has spent most of his career in the Air Force. In July 2013, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Jinan Military Region Air Force. In January 2016, he became Deputy Chief of Staff of the Western Theater Command and Chief of Staff of the Western Theater Command Air Force. In July 2018, he was promoted to Deputy Commander of the Western Theater Command. By April 2020, he also assumed the role of Commander of the Western Theater Command Air Force. In September 2022, he became Commander of the Northern Theater Command, replacing Li Qiaoming, who was promoted to Commander of the Army. In August 2024, he was reassigned as Commander of the Central Theater Command.
Interestingly, last year, when He Weidong visited the troops, he explicitly stated that the military must "firmly obey the command of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Chairman Xi." However, this year, he made no mention of Xi at all, clearly indicating that he is under some form of constraint. This also reveals He Weidong’s actual standing within the military.
In fact, signs that the military was not following He Weidong’s orders began emerging in the second half of last year. On June 19, at the closing session of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Political Work Conference, both Zhang Youxia and He Weidong expressed their commitment to "implementing Chairman Xi’s political directives on military development and strengthening absolute loyalty at its ideological roots." He Weidong even praised Xi’s speech as "a scientific guide and action plan for political military development in the new era, elevating the Party’s understanding of military governance to a new level." He emphasized the importance of "deeply understanding the political significance of Chairman Xi leading us back to Yan’an" and the "decisive significance of the 'Two Establishes.'"
However, after reports of Xi suffering a stroke surfaced during the Third Plenum in July, abnormalities began appearing within the upper echelons of the CCP and the military. Even so, He Weidong continued with his usual rhetoric. On September 2, during a special seminar for senior military officers on implementing the spirit of the CMC Political Work Conference, he once again reiterated that studying this spirit "is a major political task" and that the military must "resolutely implement Chairman Xi’s decisions," uphold the CMC chairman responsibility system, and "establish and safeguard" Xi’s authority.
Logically, if Xi still controlled the military, the entire armed forces should have followed He Weidong’s directives. However, that was not the case. Instead, various theater commands and military branches gradually downplayed their expressions of loyalty to "Chairman Xi." Clearly, such a shift could only have been directed by the top levels of the CMC, and it was certainly not from Xi’s close ally He Weidong. Instead, it aligns with reports from the Third Plenum that Zhang Youxia had taken control of the military. Following this logic, many of the military’s recent statements, which differ from past practices, become easier to understand.
Therefore, at present, the military is likely following Zhang Youxia’s orders, while He Weidong—like Xi Jinping—has become little more than a figurehead. His expressions of loyalty to Xi are merely for show, or rather, he has already made a compromise in practice. As long as Xi’s altered status is not fully disclosed to the public, He Weidong will likely remain unscathed.
(First published by People News)
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