Insider Report: Parade Office Voices Reject Xi Jinping Reviewing Troops, Welcome Zhang Youxia Instead

Chinese paramilitary police stand guard at Tiananmen Square. (China Photos/Getty Images) 

[People News] On August 20, China’s State Council Information Office held a press conference where the leadership of the September 3rd Military Parade Preparatory Committee briefed the media on the parade’s preparations. But is the readiness truly as confident and high-spirited as the CCP propaganda claims? Recently, former PLA Navy Commander Yao Cheng cited information from a retired military officer in Beijing, saying that there is widespread resentment against Xi Jinping in the military, with voices from within the parade office rejecting Xi as parade reviewer and instead welcoming Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia to inspect the troops.

On August 18, Yao Cheng spoke on his media channel about the September 3rd parade. His retired officer friend from the Beijing Military Region compound disclosed that about one to two months ago, Zhang Youxia visited the parade office to check on preparations and training. Within the office, some voiced sentiments like: “Reject Xi the bun (Xi’s nickname) as parade reviewer, welcome Zhang Youxia to inspect the troops.”

Yao said such emotions in the military undoubtedly exist. From top to bottom, the troops are full of complaints. Xi Jinping has served as CMC chairman for 13 years, and resentment runs deep across all branches and ranks—from generals to common soldiers.

Yao also mentioned a joke circulating in the military. During one inspection, Xi Jinping improvised by saying: “Everyone looks tanned.” The troops responded in unison: “The leader looks even darker.”

Yao analyzed that while it might have been a spontaneous remark, it could also carry deeper meaning. If such slogans were shouted during the parade, the impact would be enormous. “If military sentiment during the parade is unstable and opposition voices are strong, then the CCP, including the Central Military Commission, would have to seriously consider potential accidents, since it would affect the country’s image. This is something they absolutely cannot allow to happen,” Yao said.

The retired officer also revealed that the parade command has drafted a contingency plan. According to their analysis, Xi Jinping is slated to inspect the parade first. But in a second scenario—if Xi encounters any issues that prevent him from reviewing the troops—Zhang Youxia would take over the role.

It is reported that among the 79 generals Xi has promoted to full general since taking office, at least 10 have been officially investigated or dismissed. These include former Defense Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, former Air Force Commander Ding Laihang, former Rocket Force Commanders Li Yuchao and Zhou Yanin, Political Work Department head Miao Hua, and the dismissed but unannounced Strategic Support Force Commander Ju Qiansheng and Rocket Force Political Commissar Xu Zhongbo.

Another 12 have not been officially declared purged but are suspected of being under investigation or missing, including CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong, Army Political Commissar Qin Shutong, Navy Political Commissar Yuan Huazhi, Western Theater Commander Wang Haijiang, Eastern Theater Commander Lin Xiangyang, Southern Theater Commander Wang Xiubin, CMC Political-Legal Commission Secretary Wang Renhua, Political Work Department Executive Deputy Director He Hongjun, Armed Police Commander Wang Chunning, Political Commissar Zhang Hongbing, and current Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin. Conservatively, at least 22 of Xi’s promoted generals have already “fallen,” over 20% of the total.

Su Tzu-yun, Director of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan, told Dajiyuan earlier that CCP internal struggles are not about fighting corruption but are fiercer than actual battles.

Su said that all these purged generals were promoted by Xi. At present, only Zhang Youxia appears to have the power to wield the knife in this purge, leaving Xi possibly reduced to a mere rubber stamp: “Otherwise, it wouldn’t be that only Xi’s faction is being targeted.”

US-based political commentator Chen Pokong pointed out that the CCP is already emitting “sinking ship” signals, especially with military morale collapsing. The CCP’s top-level infighting may be far more severe than outsiders imagine, leaving both the Party and the military in a precarious, stormy state.