A Report from the Military Report Reveals the Illusion Behind Xi's Seemingly Glorious Image

During the closing ceremony of the Two Sessions, video footage showed that as Xi Jinping was leaving, several Politburo members, including Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) He Weidong, turned around and stood by their seats to watch Xi depart. However, Zhang Youxia remained facing forward, not even glancing back as Xi walked past behind him. (Screenshot from video)

[People News] Despite many signs indicating that the leader of the Chinese Communist Party has long lost military power and that his authority within the party has diminished, many people remain sceptical. This scepticism stems from the fact that the leader's name and activities continue to dominate headlines, filling the front pages of both party and military media. Xi still makes prominent appearances at various diplomatic events, such as his recent trip to Moscow for a celebration and his participation in the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Latin America Discussion Forum on May 13, where he delivered a keynote speech, among other engagements.

This seemingly glorious image is undoubtedly a cover-up by the CCP leadership prior to publicly revealing internal changes within the party. In reality, the CCP has already downgraded the coverage of the leader's activities. For example, the report on Xi's arrival at Moscow airport included fewer close-up shots than in the past; the front-page photos of Xi's meeting with Putin and his attendance at the military parade in Moscow were noticeably smaller compared to those in 2023. These actions suggest that Xi has lost his previous power and status.

The most striking evidence can be found in the military website's report from May 13, which features the leader's meeting with the Brazilian president alongside the opening ceremony of the ministerial meeting of the China-Latin America Discussion Forum on the same page. A news item on this page reveals the illusion behind Xi's apparent glory. Why do I say this?

This news article was published around 6 a.m., featuring the main headline "Seeking Truth and Pragmatism to Change Work Style, Helping to Boost Morale at the Grassroots Level," and a subheading that reads "The Armed Police Inner Mongolia Corps Solidly Carries Out In-Depth Learning and Education to Implement the Spirit of the Central Eight Regulations." It falls under the section titled "Unwavering Implementation of the Spirit of the Central Eight Regulations." In my view, this marks the first statement from the military and armed police system regarding the study and implementation of the 'Spirit of the Central Eight Regulations.'

Notably, the article does not mention 'Chairman Xi' at all, nor does it touch upon the responsibility system of the Chairman of the Military Commission or the loyalty phrases associated with 'two four four two.' However, it does state that they are aligning with the spirit of the Central Eight Regulations, the ten regulations of the Military Commission, and their implementation details, indicating adherence to the directives of the 'Central Military Commission.'

This expression style closely resembles the statements made by various military branches since last July regarding 'studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China' and 'studying and implementing the spirit of the Central Military Commission's Political Work Conference.' Specifically, they tend to downplay or completely omit references to 'Chairman Xi,' avoid discussing the political loyalty issues he emphasises, and refrain from expressing loyalty, while also distorting the content of his speeches. This trend is evident even in the Shandong Provincial Military District and the Shaanxi Provincial Military District, which were previously vocal in their loyalty and are under the influence of Xi's faction.

When not a single word from the Chairman of the Military Commission is followed, and even his words are distorted, with no expressions of loyalty, does this not signal a significant erosion of his military authority?

Currently, various military branches have resumed expressing their stance on implementing the spirit of the Central Eight Regulations, and the first article notably omits any mention of 'Chairman Xi,' creating a stark contrast to the overwhelming presence of Xi's image. This news article effectively reveals Xi's true standing.

So, why did the Armed Police Inner Mongolia Corps take the initiative to express their position? The commander of the Armed Police Inner Mongolia Corps is 63-year-old Major General Liu Huicheng, who has previously held several key positions, including chief of staff of the Armed Police Beijing Corps' First Division, captain of the National Flag Guard, and commander of the Armed Police Beijing Corps' Second Division. He has been in charge of the Inner Mongolia Corps since 2017 and has not received a promotion in eight years.

The political commissar of the Armed Police Inner Mongolia Corps, Major General Xiao Fangju, has served in various roles, including as an officer in the Armed Police Jilin Corps and as deputy political commissar of the Armed Police Sichuan Corps, although the exact date he began his tenure in the Inner Mongolia Corps is not specified. It is clear that neither of them are part of Xi Jinping's inner circle. This raises the question of whether the early stance taken by the Armed Police Inner Mongolia Corps is connected to the rumoured ascension of Hu Chunhua, who previously served as the secretary of Inner Mongolia.

One thing is certain: before the Chinese Communist Party officially announces changes in its senior leadership, the public image of the party leader will still be upheld. However, party media and military newspapers may convey contradictory messages in certain details, so it is wise to observe closely. 

(First published by the People News)