Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, remarked that Xi's faction has been entirely apprehended. (Video screenshot)
[People News] On February 26, the closing of the National People's Congress Standing Committee meeting of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was marked by a shocking announcement: nine military representatives were abruptly dismissed from their positions. However, the most peculiar aspect is that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were not included in the dismissal list. Have they once again escaped a crisis?
The NPC has dismissed 9 generals; Xi's military reform operator also falls
In the political logic of the CCP, the dismissal of a representative from the National People's Congress typically signifies that the official has fallen from grace. This list includes five generals, one lieutenant general, and three major generals.
The five generals are former Navy Commander Shen Jinlong, former Navy Political Commissar Qin Shengxiang, former Air Force Political Commissar Yu Zhongfu, former Army Commander Li Qiaoming, and former Political Commissar of the Information Support Force Li Wei.
What does this signify? It indicates a complete 'collapse' of leadership across the Navy, Army, and Air Force, along with the newly established Information Support Force, resulting in the dismissal of multiple former leaders.
Among these individuals, three are particularly noteworthy. First, Li Qiaoming and Li Wei, both current members of the 20th Central Committee, were absent from the Fourth Plenary Session last October, leading to speculation about their troubles; now, it can finally be considered an official 'announcement.'
Another prominent figure is Qin Shengxiang. He is not just any general; he has been seen as the architect of Xi Jinping's military reforms. Serving as the director of the Military Commission's General Office in 2012, he also held the position of director of the Military Commission's Reform and Organisation Office during the military reforms in 2016, making him a key executor of these reforms. The downfall of Qin Shengxiang signifies a complete failure of Xi Jinping's military reforms.
In addition to these five generals, Lieutenant General Wang Donghai, along with Major Generals Bian Ruifeng, Ding Laifu, and Yang Guang, have also been dismissed.
However, the most peculiar aspect of this military upheaval lies with those who are 'not on the list.'
Military representatives abstain: Has Zhang Youxia escaped another crisis?
Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, who were officially announced to have fallen from grace on January 24, were not stripped of their National People's Congress (NPC) representative qualifications during a temporary NPC Standing Committee meeting held on February 4. Many had anticipated that this meeting would formally announce their dismissal, yet the announcement revealed that these two individuals remained notably absent.
What does this indicate? Observers suggest that Xi Jinping's desire to act against Zhang Youxia has once again been obstructed, facing considerable resistance from the upper echelons.
In this context, former Navy staff officer Yao Cheng shared in a post on X that a netizen residing in the Beijing Military District informed him that terminating their representative qualifications requires a vote within the PLA delegation. Currently, the number of representatives in the PLA delegation is limited, and the vast majority are not taking a stance, effectively abstaining, which makes it impossible to vote on their representative qualifications.
Yao Cheng indicated that he believes this is also the case, noting that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli have never gone through the disciplinary inspection, judicial, or National People's Congress (NPC) dismissal processes from start to finish, suggesting they were likely obstructed within the military at the earliest opportunity.
On the night when Zhang and Liu were officially announced to have lost their positions, the military newspaper issued a harsh accusation against them for 'seriously trampling and undermining the responsibility system of the Chairman of the Military Commission,' likening their actions to a military coup, which implies that they are entangled in political issues. Typically, the earliest charges brought forth are likely to be true, but they also signify a declaration of division within the military and the sidelining of Xi Jinping's military authority.
Following this, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaked information to foreign media alleging that Zhang Youxia had committed treason by disclosing nuclear secrets to the United States, although this was indirectly denied by the CCP's official channels. Recently, there have been reports within the military suggesting that the authorities plan to convict Zhang Youxia of the uncontroversial charge of 'selling positions.'
Some analysts argue that the uncertainties surrounding the Zhang and Liu case indicate that there remains a faction within the CCP that is opposing Xi's administration. As long as the NPC representatives for Zhang and Liu have not been officially dismissed, the spectre of Xi Jinping's procedural violations in detaining individuals continues to loom.
Statistics reveal that over the past two years, around 36 military NPC representatives have been dismissed, including 16 generals. This situation reflects the extreme brutality of the power struggles within the CCP's upper echelons and has sparked significant dissatisfaction within the military towards the highest leadership.
(First published by People News)
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