The persecution has led to a backlash, resulting in a loss of power, and those in high positions are merely playing supporting roles. (Illustration by People News)
[People News] As the countdown to the Fifth Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) begins, several unusual events have surfaced within the CPC. For example, in recent days, the following anomalies have occurred.
On October 15, Premier Li Qiang delivered a rare video speech at the opening ceremony of the new Yalu River Bridge connecting China and North Korea. The images released by state media were similar in style to those typically associated with Xi Jinping.
On October 16, Xi Jinping visited Ulanqab City in Inner Mongolia for an inspection. In an unusual move, state media published an 'unflattering' photo of Xi with his hands in his pockets, which contradicts the CPC's usual practice of carefully managing Xi's public image as the party leader.
On the same day, the 20th issue of the CPC's party magazine 'Qiushi' published Xi's speech from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection meeting held in January this year. The speech emphasised the need to 'more resolutely and forcefully implement the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central,' which is deemed a 'fundamental requirement for maintaining the authority of the Party Central and centralised unified leadership.' Notably, the article referenced 'major decisions and deployments of the Party Central' four times.
Additionally, in a related article titled 'Improving the Implementation Mechanism for Major Decisions and Deployments of the Party Central,' it clearly states: 'The decision-making and coordination body of the Party Central plays a role in top-level design, overall coordination, comprehensive advancement, and supervision of implementation in major work.' What message is this signal sending to the outside world?
Beginning on October 17, Li Qiang embarked on a nearly week-long visit. Notably, during his meetings with the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, Li Qiang was supposed to convey Xi Jinping's 'sincere greetings and best wishes' to both leaders; however, this was deliberately omitted by the Chinese Communist Party's official media.
Another peculiar incident was reported by the Uzbek news agency, which stated that 'the two sides discussed issues related to further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries under various conditions in the new era.' Typically, such discussions about strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership should involve the highest leaders of both nations, yet it has now been delegated to Li Qiang. Isn't this odd?
On October 20, yet another unusual event took place. On that day, the official media featured a front-page article titled 'Xi Jinping Sends a Letter Congratulating the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Central Socialist Academy.' The article also noted that a celebration conference was held on the same day, attended by Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who delivered a speech. This news has three unusual aspects.
The first unusual aspect is that Xi Jinping did not extend congratulations on behalf of the 'CPC Central Committee'; instead, the wording of his congratulatory letter was 'I would like to express my congratulations.' In contrast, during the 60th anniversary of the academy in 2016, Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter explicitly stated 'on behalf of the CPC Central Committee' to convey warm congratulations. Similarly, in 2006, during the 50th anniversary of the academy, the congratulatory letter from Hu Jintao, who was then the head of the CPC, also stated 'on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.'
According to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Central Socialist Academy is described as a "higher political academy of a united front nature led by the CCP, a joint party school for democratic parties and non-party individuals, the primary base for the education and training of talents for the united front, an important department for implementing the party's united front work, and a crucial component of the education and training system for party and state cadres." It operates under the CCP's United Front Work Department.
The CCP places significant emphasis on these academies, which are clearly part of its indoctrination efforts, as well as on organisations and parties that are affiliated with it. Celebratory conferences are typically held every ten years, and congratulations from the Central Committee of the CCP are always expected.
For example, on September 19, 2025, marking the 100th anniversary of the China Zhi Gong Party, Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter on behalf of the Central Committee of the CCP.
On July 2, 2025, the 14th plenary session of the National Youth Federation of the CCP and the 28th National Congress of the National Student Federation took place, during which Xi also sent a congratulatory letter representing the Party Central Committee. Additionally, on May 27 of the same year, the 9th National Congress of the Young Pioneers of China was held, and Xi again conveyed congratulations on behalf of the Party Central Committee in his letter.
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So, why is it that Xi Jinping, who previously could represent the "Party Central Committee" to extend congratulations, can now only do so in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the "Party Central Committee"? What is actually happening with Xi?
Additionally, all three of the aforementioned celebration events were attended by members of the Politburo Standing Committee, specifically Wang Huning and Cai Qi. Reports indicate that the congratulatory messages from Xi Jinping were read at these events by Li Ganjie, a member of the Central Politburo and Minister of the United Front Work Department, and Shi Taifeng, who was then a member of the Central Politburo and Minister of the Organisation Department. At the 2016 event, the message was read by Sun Chunlan, who was also a member of the Central Politburo and Minister of the United Front Work Department.
This brings us to the second unusual aspect of today's congratulatory news: it did not specify who read Xi's congratulatory message at this celebration event. The report simply stated, 'Xi Jinping's congratulatory message was read at the meeting,' while Li Ganjie, the Minister of the United Front Work Department, was the host. Why is this the case?
The third unusual aspect is that Xi Jinping's titles were significantly reduced in Wang Huning's remarks. Wang stated, 'General Secretary Xi Jinping specifically sent an important congratulatory message to...,' whereas at the 60th anniversary event held in mid-October 2016, Yu Zhengsheng, who was then the Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, referred to Xi as 'General Secretary of the Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping specifically sent a congratulatory message,' including all three of Xi's titles. Similarly, at the 50th anniversary event in 2006, Hu Jintao was also referred to with all three titles by Jia Qinglin, who was then the Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Who gave Wang Huning the audacity to reduce Xi's titles to just one? Has the rumoured loss of two of Xi's titles already become a reality?
It is evident that three anomalies in the news suggest that Xi Jinping's position has changed within the upper ranks of the Communist Party of China (CPC). When considered alongside the unusual interactions between Li Qiang and Xi in recent days, it appears that significant personnel changes are anticipated at the CPC's Fifth Plenary Session, and it is an undeniable fact that Xi's power is diminishing.
(Originally published by People News) △
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