News on CCP China, Hong Kong
Direct translation / Editor: Fang Xun / Source: RFA / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0107/2156836.html
Don’t step down too abruptly? Xi sends strong signals of party rectification —Xi Jinping once again raises the banner of anti-corruption to “clean up the imperial court” Analysis: Hong Kong may be affected and lead to “change of chief executive”
Xi Jinping has repeatedly sent strong signals of "rectifying the party". According to our statistics, on Monday (6 January 2025), the party media published at least 20 reports on the strict implementation of the "anti-corruption struggle" by the party, government and military. Some commentators pointed out that this revealed the rise of "anti-Xi forces", and it is not ruled out that the expansion from "purging dissidents" to "purging the emperor's side" is possible; but some Chinese experts believe that Xi Jinping is making a last-ditch effort because "the general situation is gone", but the CCP does not want civil unrest, and is expected to prepare for a "smooth transition" for Xi not to be re-elected at the "21st National Congress", including finding a more trustworthy successor; it is also not ruled out that it will affect the Hong Kong officialdom, and it is expected that Chen Guoji, who has been highly valued recently, may become the candidate for the new chief executive.
"We have launched an unprecedented anti-corruption struggle, with the mission of 'offending thousands of people but not letting down 1.4 billion people', and we have taken a multi-pronged approach of 'fighting tigers', 'swatting flies', and 'hunting foxes'. The anti-corruption struggle has achieved an overwhelming victory and has been fully consolidated, eliminating the serious hidden dangers within the party, the country, and the army."
Party media have published more than 20 reports on the "anti-corruption struggle"
This "important speech" from General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 2022 CPC "20th National Congress" was published again by many CPC party media and the PLA website on Monday (6th), in conjunction with Xi Jinping's "important speech" at the "4th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection".
At the meeting, Xi Jinping pointed out that "corruption is the biggest threat facing our party, and anti-corruption is the most thorough self-revolution", emphasizing that "the current anti-corruption situation is still severe and complex", and the stock of corruption has not been eliminated and continues to grow, so it is necessary to adhere to strict "management and governance of the party" and "resolutely fight the anti-corruption struggle".
According to our statistics, on the same day, the party media published at least 20 reports on the "anti-corruption struggle", citing Xi Jinping's "important speech", indicating that "we must dare to turn the knife inward" and "not give up even a step" to eliminate corrupt elements in the party, government, and military. Including the People's Daily published a front-page article titled "The Party's Self-Revolution is Always on the Road", emphasizing the strict implementation of the "self-revolution" led by Xi Jinping; at the same time, CCTV specially broadcast a new special program "Anti-Corruption for the People" to publicize Xi's "strict party governance" policy.
Analysis: Reveals the rise of a force in the military that is dissatisfied with Xi Jinping
Lin Fei, a Chinese commentator who is familiar with Beijing news, wrote an article on this station on Monday (6th) after earlier analyzing that there are signs of Xi Jinping's fall from power in the mainland, and the atmosphere is similar to that before the fall of the "Gang of Four". He pointed out that behind Xi Jinping's "self-revolution" with the "blade turned inward", a force dissatisfied with Xi Jinping has risen in the military. However, after more than ten years of purges in the name of anti-corruption, including the recent fall of many leaders within the military, there are no veterans who can launch a coup similar to the fall of the "Gang of Four". The only targets left for purges are Xi Jinping's confidants. Therefore, it is estimated that Xi Jinping's recent purge campaign has expanded from the previous "purge of dissidents" to "purge the emperor's side."
Lin Fei cited the example that the "democratic life meeting" recently held by the Politburo of the Communist Party of China not only insisted on "maintaining the authority of the leader", but also had the meaning of "cleaning up the house", including Chen Jining, the secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, who is regarded as a popular candidate for the next prime minister, and Ding Xuexiang, one of the members of the legendary "new Gang of Four", who became the "main targets" of criticism and self-criticism. He also pointed out that this reminds people of the similar "democratic life meeting" held by the Hebei Provincial Party Committee after Xi Jinping came to power at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, but this time the target was not outside the faction but inside the faction.
According to the information, Xi Jinping presided over the "democratic life meeting" of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee at that time. After being criticized, Zhou Benshun, the then secretary of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee, and many other senior cadres were immediately dismissed for corruption, becoming one of the implicated in Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign against "big tigers" such as Zhou Yongkang.
Analysis: Xi may not have the ability and reason to "clean up the imperial court" now
However, China expert Cheng Xiang pointed out that the current situation is different from more than 10 years ago. At that time, the "second generation of reds" in the party "had expectations and confidence" that Xi Jinping would clean up corruption when he first came to power, but Xi Jinping is now "out of the game" and no one can challenge his position, questioning whether he may have the ability and reason to "clean up the imperial court".
Cheng Xiang said: "Does Xi Jinping have the ability to "clean up the imperial court" now? I am quite skeptical. Because you can see that his influence in the military has been greatly weakened since the "Third Plenary Session". He (Xi Jinping) is now talking about anti-corruption issues in a big way. I noticed that the "People's Daily" article mentioned "the eve of the Fourth Plenary Session", which means that his mention of "anti-corruption struggle" may be a precursor to the fall of a group of cadres at the Fourth Plenary Session. As for whether these cadres are "at the imperial court", it is still too early to say. "
Cheng Xiang said that although there are indeed strong voices in the CCP who are dissatisfied with Xi Jinping, the CCP does not want him to step down midway "unless it is absolutely necessary", otherwise it would be tantamount to triggering a coup d'état. He estimated that China is preparing for a "smooth transition" for Xi not to be re-elected at the "21st National Congress", including finding a more trustworthy successor to maintain the stability of the party's regime. Therefore, the party media has reduced the propaganda of Xi Jinping's personal worship on the one hand, and allowed Xi Jinping to express his ruling status on the other hand, and emphasized "the collective leadership of the party" so that Xi Jinping's resignation "will not be too abrupt".
Hong Kong may also change its leader. It is expected that Chen Guoji will become a popular candidate for the new chief executive
Recently, Hong Kong government officials such as Li Jiachao have often followed Beijing in saying that they will "fight corruption". Will the CCP's struggle model be used in Hong Kong? ? Cheng Xiang believes that "it still needs to be observed". However, he pointed out that since the implementation of the "Hong Kong National Security Law" in 2020, Hong Kong has been directly governed by the Central National Security Office, and the mainland-style official culture has infiltrated Hong Kong, especially the placement of old cadres to replace or monitor new cadres "has appeared". Wu Ming, the former editor-in-chief of Wen Wei Po, who has close ties with the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, recently served as the senior special assistant to Chief Secretary for Administration Chen Guoji, which is an example.
Cheng Xiang also predicted that Hong Kong may also change its leaders, and Chen Guoji is expected to become a popular candidate for the new chief executive. He explained that Chen Guoji recently made an exception to accompany Chief Executive Li Jiachao to Beijing to report on his work, which shows that Chen is highly valued by Beijing; and Chen, benefiting from his experience in immigration affairs, often deals with mainland police and officials, and is believed to be more trusted by the CCP than Li Jiachao.
No comments:
Post a Comment