Xi Jinping Furiously Scolds Ding Xuexiang, Cai Qi Makes a Clever Move

Illustration: On March 12, 2023, CCP Politburo Standing Committee members Cai Qi and Li Xi attend a session of the National People’s Congress. (Noel Celis/AFP)

[People News] According to a Kan Zhongguo (Vision Times) report on August 9, news from Beidaihe today says that the Jiangyou incident in Sichuan shocked Xi Jinping. Early this morning, a person from Yunnan unfurled a banner reading “Xi Jinping Step Down” in Kunming Square. Xi was enraged—was this outright rebellion?

Xi Jinping Furiously Scolds Ding Xuexiang

Xi urgently summoned Ding Xuexiang and Cai Qi for questioning, harshly criticising Sichuan Governor Shi Xiaolin for failing to maintain stability and for allowing information to leak. Xi believed the handling of the matter was improper, riddled with oversights, and resulted in videos and reports flooding the internet. Some even streamed the incident live across many platforms without hindrance.

Xi lashed out at Ding Xuexiang: “That woman—Shi Xiaolin—whom you strongly recommended, is incompetent. Everyone knows about your little affairs with her; don’t think I’m unaware. And tell me—was this botched handling her own doing, or did you give her such rotten advice yourself?”

Xi also rebuked Cai Qi, who oversees propaganda, for allowing the Jiangyou incident to spread all over the world.

Reportedly, Ding Xuexiang was deeply alarmed, while Cai Qi—though outwardly expressing deep regret—could not hide his schadenfreude over Xi’s anger at Ding.

Cai Qi’s Clever Move

Cai Qi’s current position is exactly the one Ding Xuexiang held before the 20th Party Congress: the No. 5 figure in the Party hierarchy, in charge of Party affairs and personnel promotions, and concurrently president of the Central Party School. Moreover, Wang Xiaohong has a close relationship with Ding and was originally slated to enter the Politburo.

According to well-known independent commentator Cai Shenkun, because Wang Xiaohong and Ding Xuexiang privately engaged in activities in Beijing without Xi Jinping’s trust, Cai Qi caught wind of it and reported them to Xi. Xi became furious, delivering a figurative “50 strokes of the cane” to each: Wang failed to make it into the Politburo, and Ding was relegated to serve as Executive Vice Premier in the State Council.

As a result, both men bore a grudge against Cai Qi and sought to work together to bring him down. But Cai seems to have played a higher-level move.

Early this year, insider information revealed that Ding Xuexiang’s son, elder brother, and younger brother had all come under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). Overseas commentator Jiang Wangzheng revealed on his media program that on January 6, at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CCDI, Xi Jinping stressed the need to push forward anti-corruption efforts with a policy of “investigate and govern simultaneously.” This so-called “investigate and govern simultaneously” was in fact aimed squarely at Ding Xuexiang.

According to Jiang Wangzheng, after Jiangsu Nantong Chamber of Commerce president Xu Shaodong was detained last month, Ding’s father, elder brother, and brother-in-law were all restricted from leaving Nantong City. In the CCP system, collusion between officials and businessmen, with the exchange of benefits, is commonplace. Such travel restrictions on Ding’s family indicate his situation is not looking good. Ding’s troubles keep mounting, and they are directly connected to Cai Qi.

On August 4, when the Sichuan Jiangyou incident broke out, it was reported up the chain to Shi Xiaolin, who immediately reported to Ding Xuexiang for instructions. Ding consulted with Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, and they decided to use heavy-handed suppression, drawing up a corresponding plan for Shi to direct on the ground. Cai Qi, however, was fully aware of the entire plan and quietly gave instructions to let information leak out, making a mess of Ding and Wang’s arrangements. △