U.S. General: Zhang Youxia Carries the Bow, Xi Entering Final Stage of Power

Trump’s “four-arrow strategy” is like a final kick, pushing Xi into the final stage of his rule.

[People News] The massive internal purge within the CCP’s meat grinder has drawn global attention. Recently, more than 1,300 Chinese military officers and over 80 generals affiliated with Xi Jinping’s faction have fallen from power. As a result, Xi’s position as Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) has become an empty title, with real power shifting to the faction surrounding CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia. In a Newsweek article, retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Blaine Holt analysed that the ancient Chinese prophecy book Tui Bei Tu mentions a military figure who “carries a bow,” referring to Zhang Youxia. Holt points out that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is nearing its end, and its leader is on the path to becoming the Party’s last ruler.

According to Dajiyuan, Holt, who served as the U.S. Deputy Military Representative to NATO, said that Xi has long used anti-corruption investigations as a pretext to purge senior officials in both the government and military. However, observers have noticed that during the third major wave of purges, the CCP has started to target even officials loyal to Xi using the same anti-corruption excuse. Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the CMC, has emerged as a force countering Xi and is reportedly behind the removal of officials aligned with Xi.

Although Holt is American, he is familiar with the ancient Chinese prophecy Tui Bei Tu, which foretells the CCP’s downfall. He notes that many observers believe these ancient prophecies are the real motivation behind the purges. Despite being atheists by doctrine, CCP top leaders, including Xi, are also highly superstitious.

One prophecy in Tui Bei Tu, believed to predict a coup or assassination during Xi’s era, describes a warrior sneaking into the palace with a golden sword. The text reads: “There is a soldier who carries a bow, saying only, ‘I am a white-haired man.’ A golden sword is hidden at the eastern gate, a brave warrior enters the palace through the back gate.” Some commentators interpret the figure whose name includes the character for “bow” as referring to current CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia.

Holt states that Xi and the CCP seem to be fixated on the disastrous outcomes described in these prophecies, though they do not explicitly say who will bring about the Party’s end. However, China is facing soaring urban unemployment, massive business closures, an exodus of the wealthy and foreign firms, and rapidly growing internal dissent. Xi’s disastrous COVID lockdowns, economic backsliding, rampant money printing, property market collapse, bank failures, and police-state surveillance have dragged China back to a state resembling 1979.

In 1979, just after the Cultural Revolution, China’s economy, dominated by state-owned enterprises, was on the brink of collapse, with extremely low incomes and widespread shortages threatening CCP rule. The leadership under Deng Xiaoping launched sweeping economic reforms following the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee in December 1978 to save the Party. By contrast, Xi’s 12 years in power have been described as “driving in reverse.” According to Wikipedia, external observers believe Xi has accelerated the construction of a personal dictatorship, abolished term limits, promoted cult-of-personality politics, and strengthened the party-state system. Externally, he has encouraged “wolf warrior” diplomacy and attempted to export CCP values through his “community of shared future for mankind,” threatening the global democratic order. People have nicknamed Xi the “Chief Accelerator,” as his long rule and missteps may “accelerate” the CCP’s collapse and the downfall of the People’s Republic of China’s governance system.

Former Premier Li Keqiang, who has passed away, revealed during a 2020 press conference that around 600 million Chinese earn less than 1,000 yuan (approx. $140) per month—insufficient even to pay rent. This shows that China’s reality is far less glamorous than it appears. In the past decade, frequent wage protests have escalated into violent incidents, reflecting growing resentment among the lower classes. Especially after the pandemic, China has declined rapidly, with mass bankruptcies across industries and parts of major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou becoming ghost towns. Both civilians and some in the military are openly calling for the CCP’s dissolution.

Holt warns of potential reckless actions by the CCP. To avoid accountability, it may launch military operations to divert attention and frame the U.S. as “the real problem.”

Trump’s trade policies, including tariffs on China, struck at Xi at a time when he was already facing intense pressure from economic failures and authoritarian governance. Holt observes that the U.S. has realised that short-term disruptions can be an effective blow to Xi and the CCP during their crisis.

“President Trump understands that the ultimate weapon against the CCP is not nuclear bombs, lasers, or bombers. He knows that keeping China out of the world’s largest consumer market has a greater impact than the Eighth Air Force’s bombing of Dresden in World War II,” Holt wrote.

It is widely estimated that U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods will reduce China’s GDP by around 3%.

 

Call for Trump to Hold the Line and Prevent the CCP’s Comeback

Holt stated that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) frequently engages in infiltration, blackmail, extortion, bribery, or even making foreign officials and businesspeople “disappear.” At the same time, the CCP covertly manipulates Western media to avoid covering topics it finds unfavourable, such as the atrocity of live organ harvesting.

“The CCP arrogantly believes that its holdings of U.S. debt, growing military power, and global projects like the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ are enough to force the United States into submission—leaving Washington powerless to complain about intellectual property theft, fentanyl trafficking, and infiltration and sabotage of the free world,” he said.

Holt urged President Trump to stick to his established policies and not allow the CCP to use diplomatic compromise as a way to gain breathing room.

He noted that in authoritarian regimes, “saving face” is extremely important. Beijing has already quietly made concessions to Trump by easing retaliatory tariffs in key areas.

At the same time, he cautioned that amid the internal power struggle between the CCP and the military, the Trump administration must not underestimate this desperate and cornered dragon.

(Originally published by People News)