On November 9, Xi Jinping and Zhang Youxia met with representatives of advanced national sports in Guangzhou. Their seating arrangement in the centre indicated that Zhang Youxia's status is equal to or higher than that of Xi Jinping. (Video screenshot)
[People News] Since the news of Xi Jinping's stroke surfaced during the Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) last July, there have been increasing signs over the past year indicating that Xi has lost military authority and that his power within the party has also been weakened. This situation suggests that the real control now lies with the CCP elders who operate behind the scenes of the Politburo.
Recently, however, overseas reports have emerged claiming that Xi Jinping intended to reclaim military power while Zhang Youxia, who is believed to hold actual military authority as the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, was visiting Russia. Regardless of the veracity of these reports, they have garnered significant attention due to the opaque nature of the CPC's operations. So, did Xi regain military power while Zhang Youxia was away from Beijing? A report from the CPC military network on November 27 provided a clear negative answer.
On the afternoon of the 27th, the Ministry of National Defence of the CPC held a regular press conference. Jiang Bin, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Defence News Bureau and spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, shared several updates and answered questions from reporters. The military network subsequently reported this in several brief articles.
In one article titled 'The Ministry of Defence introduces the situation of the entire military learning and implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC Central Committee's Fourth Plenary Session,' Jiang Bin's statements were structured in several layers:
1. On November 3, the first report meeting for the entire military to study and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session was held in Beijing. Zhang Youxia, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, along with Zhang Shengmin, also Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, met with members of the speaking group and listened to their report.
2. The military speaking group organised a tour with five teams, conducting 20 sessions to comprehensively promote the guiding principles, main objectives, strategic tasks, major measures, and fundamental guarantees for economic and social development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. They also provided an in-depth interpretation of the important deployments regarding national defence and military modernisation.
3. As a result of these presentations, the officers and soldiers recognised the achievements of the Communist Party of China, emphasising that "the most fundamental reason is the leadership of Chairman Xi and the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought." They noted that the "two establishments" represent the "greatest certainty, greatest confidence, and greatest guarantee" for overcoming all challenges.
4. The entire military will "thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's strong military thought and deeply carry out the military strategic guidelines for the new era," among other initiatives.
In my observation, it has been quite rare in the past five years to see the name of the Vice Chairman of the Military Commission mentioned before that of the Chairman in military news, and such expressions from military spokespersons have also been infrequently encountered.
Interestingly, the summary of the military speaking group's activities from last year's Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party was not released by a spokesperson through a press conference, but was instead reported by the Military Daily in a summary format.
In a summary report dated August 24, 2024, it is noted that on July 29, the first report meeting for the entire military to study the spirit of the Third Plenary Session was held in Beijing. Following this meeting, the military propaganda team was divided into five groups to conduct a series of 20 lectures across various military units. Officers and soldiers deeply studied and comprehended the important speeches of Chairman Xi Jinping and the deployment outlined in the “Decision,” effectively aligning their thoughts and actions with the spirit of the Third Plenary Session.' This was followed by discussions on the '2442' and the 'implementation of the responsibility system of the Chairman of the Military Commission.' Notably, the names of the two Vice Chairmen of the Military Commission, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong, were absent from the report.
It is evident that at that time, Xi had recently faced challenges, and the shifts in military power were not recognised by the outside world, leading many reports to adhere to traditional practices.
Reflecting on November 24, 2022, during a routine press conference, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence, Wu Qian, addressed questions regarding the military's efforts to study and promote the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Wu Qian began by stating, 'In accordance with the directives from the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, the entire military has concentrated its learning and promotional efforts on achieving the centenary struggle goal of military development.' He then mentioned that on November 4, the first report meeting for the entire military took place in Beijing, after which a team of 14 experts was organised into seven groups to conduct 34 lectures throughout the military. He further noted, 'The officers and soldiers of the entire military are resolutely implementing a series of important instructions from Chairman Xi regarding the study and promotion of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Party,' and they are deeply grasping the decisive significance of the 'two establishments,' among other points. Throughout the report, no names of Vice Chairmen of the Military Commission were mentioned.
It is clear that following the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, as Xi Jinping steadily ascended to the pinnacle of power within both the party and the military, no one dared or was willing to overstep their bounds.
On the 27th, the military spokesperson openly stated that Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin met with members of the propaganda team and received reports. Notably, after mentioning the names of the 'Two Zhangs,' they invoked Xi Jinping along with the customary expressions of loyalty. This clearly conveys a message: the reports of Xi's reassertion of military control are false; the true command of military power still rests with the 'Two Zhangs.' Otherwise, such an overstep would not be feasible.
(First published by People News) △
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