Politburo Meeting at the End of July – Major Announcement from Xi Jinping?

On March 5, 2023, CCP leaders attended the opening session of the National People's Congress.

[People News] On July 23, pro-Beijing Hong Kong media reported that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will convene a Politburo meeting next week and is expected to announce charges against former Central Military Commission (CMC) member and Director of the CMC Political Work Department, Miao Hua. Analysts believe this Politburo meeting will also discuss the situation of CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong, who has been missing for four months, as well as finalise the date for the upcoming Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee.

According to the Sing Tao Daily (a pro-Beijing outlet), the CMC recently issued a document calling for the “reconstruction of the image and prestige of political cadres,” which is interpreted as an indirect acknowledgement that the downfall of Miao Hua has severely damaged the image of political officers within the military.

The report also noted that the top CCP leadership will hold a two-week “working vacation” in Beidaihe in early August. The Politburo meeting at the end of July will analyze the current economic situation, plan the second half of the year's economic policies, and is very likely to review and approve the CMC’s Report on the Investigation Results and Disciplinary Decisions Regarding Miao Hua, officially announcing his crimes, stripping him of his general rank, and expelling him from the Party.

Over the past two decades, four directors of the military’s General Political Department (now the Political Work Department) have been implicated: Xu Caihou died of bladder cancer after being purged; Li Jinai was partially implicated due to "failure to discipline his son"; Zhang Yang died by suicide; and now Miao Hua has fallen. In effect, three and a half out of four have been taken down, with two already dead.

The report further stated that the CMC's call for a “comprehensive purge of toxic influence” implies that the fallout from Miao Hua's case is not limited to him alone — a broader purge of military officials is likely to follow.

Independent commentator Cai Shenkun, in his program, said there are rumours that Xi Jinping has labelled Miao Hua’s case as the largest anti-Party group in the history of the PLA.

Cai believes Miao’s case is even more serious than Lin Biao’s attempted defection in 1971. If it truly is the “largest anti-Party group,” the military purge likely won’t end anytime soon and may continue indefinitely.

Cai also suggested that this Politburo meeting might address the issue of He Weidong.

“He Weidong has been missing for over four months. As a member of the CMC, a Politburo member, and a Vice Chairman of the CMC, his total disappearance without any explanation is, even by the Party’s own rules, completely unacceptable,” Cai said.

Additionally, Cai analysed that the Politburo meeting at the end of July is expected to finalise the exact date for the Fourth Plenary Session. He believes that, at this point, it’s almost impossible for the session to be held in late August.

Cai stated, “Because once the meeting date is officially announced, they usually need one to two months to build up media momentum and public messaging.”

In his program Tianliang’s Analysis, Professor Zhang Tianliang of Feitian University pointed out that, to maintain stability within the military’s leadership structure — or to prevent Zhang Youxia from gaining too much power — Xi Jinping will likely use the Fourth Plenary Session to appoint a new Vice Chairman of the CMC to balance Zhang’s influence.

Currently, besides Miao Hua, former State Councillor and Defence Minister Li Shangfu has also been removed. CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong has been “missing” for over four months. Out of the original seven members of the 20th CMC leadership, only four remain.

(Originally published by People News)