Gu Cheng has an interesting People News piece about a mysterious mainland social-media account relating to the mostly opaque Xi–Zhang power struggle in China.
Mysterious Account Tests the Waters: Xi–Zhang Power Struggle Loosens Externally, Tightens Internally
Xi’s Diplomatic Tone Turns Weak and Fatigued
[People News] Recently, former CCP Central Party School professor Cai Xia revealed that He Weidong and Miao Hua had formed a secret army in Langfang, Hebei, sparking widespread attention and heated discussion. Around the same time, a mysterious mainland social-media account called “Wind Direction Observer” (风向观察) suddenly released alleged court documents detailing the trials of former Rocket Force leaders Li Shangfu, Wei Fenghe, and others accused of colluding with foreign powers.
Both incidents were not from official sources, yet occurred in close succession. Coupled with the recent, markedly softer diplomatic tone Xi Jinping adopted in meetings with U.S. and Japanese leaders, these developments highlight that, after the CCP’s 20th Fourth Plenary Session, fierce internal struggles within the military persist — and that the complexity of the power structure at the top far exceeds what is visible on the surface.
It's worth reading the whole piece, if nothing else it makes our UK media obsession with Andrew Whatsit seem even more trivial.
[People News] Recently, former CCP Central Party School professor Cai Xia revealed that He Weidong and Miao Hua had formed a secret army in Langfang, Hebei, sparking widespread attention and heated discussion. Around the same time, a mysterious mainland social-media account called “Wind Direction Observer” (风向观察) suddenly released alleged court documents detailing the trials of former Rocket Force leaders Li Shangfu, Wei Fenghe, and others accused of colluding with foreign powers.
Both incidents were not from official sources, yet occurred in close succession. Coupled with the recent, markedly softer diplomatic tone Xi Jinping adopted in meetings with U.S. and Japanese leaders, these developments highlight that, after the CCP’s 20th Fourth Plenary Session, fierce internal struggles within the military persist — and that the complexity of the power structure at the top far exceeds what is visible on the surface.
It's worth reading the whole piece, if nothing else it makes our UK media obsession with Andrew Whatsit seem even more trivial.
Then came Xi’s meeting with his nemesis, new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
In their first summit, Xi found himself completely on the defensive. After the CCP failed to interfere in Japan’s election, Xi sulked and withheld congratulations; Takaichi ignored him and confronted him head-on.
She listed every sore point: the East China Sea (including the Senkaku Islands), rare earths, concern over detained Japanese citizens, safety of overseas nationals, the South China Sea, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and North Korea abductions — directly challenging Xi’s regime on all fronts.
Xi was speechless.
Unprepared and without his cue cards — or with cards that lacked any answers — he was utterly stumped.
Such questions went far beyond the CCP’s script; even Cai Qi, his chief of staff, would never dare write responses for these.
In their first summit, Xi found himself completely on the defensive. After the CCP failed to interfere in Japan’s election, Xi sulked and withheld congratulations; Takaichi ignored him and confronted him head-on.
She listed every sore point: the East China Sea (including the Senkaku Islands), rare earths, concern over detained Japanese citizens, safety of overseas nationals, the South China Sea, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and North Korea abductions — directly challenging Xi’s regime on all fronts.
Xi was speechless.
Unprepared and without his cue cards — or with cards that lacked any answers — he was utterly stumped.
Such questions went far beyond the CCP’s script; even Cai Qi, his chief of staff, would never dare write responses for these.
2 comments:
One is irresistibly reminded of Peter Simple's occasional "Kremlinology" reports, which usually descended into minute analysis of the mysterious dwarf who'd appeared behind some apparatchik's shoulder, or some such absurdity.
But I suppose we ought to take this more seriously, perhaps.
Peter - it's interesting but not easy to take seriously because it's so opaque. We don't know if a leadership change would make any significant difference anyway, it's nothing like Trump v Harris.
Post a Comment