On March 4, 2023, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China He Weidong (left) and Zhang Youxia (right) attended the opening ceremony of the CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Noel Celis/AFP)
[The Epoch Times, February 9, 2024]The Chinese Communist Party’s military is continuing to be purged. Not only has the tense relationship between CMC Chairman Xi Jinping and CMC First Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia attracted attention, but the conflict between Zhang Youxia and another CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong was also suspected to have been leaked in the party media.
On February 8, the Xinhuanet of the Communist Party of China published a report: “Zhang Youxia and He Weidong went to the troops stationed in Beijing to investigate and visit the officers and soldiers.” But in fact there are two parallel reports. Click “He Weidong” to enter the report of He Weidong’s investigation and visit to the troops stationed in Beijing and to visit the officers and soldiers; click “Zhang Youxia” to enter the report of Zhang Youxia’s investigation and visit to the troops stationed in Beijing.
Reports show that Zhang Youxia went to a certain brigade of the 82nd Group Army of the Army and a certain division of the Air Force Aviation Corps; He Weidong went to a certain detachment of the Beijing Armed Police Corps and a certain regiment of the Beijing Garrison Region. The contents of Zhang’s and He’s speeches were different, but they both involved party building and war preparations. Among them, He Weidong emphasized Xi’s thoughts on strengthening the military and the responsibility system of the Chairman of the Military Commission, and demanded that the military resolutely obey Chairman Xi’s command. Zhang, on the other hand, only mentioned Xi’s idea of strengthening the military. Relatively speaking, in terms of loyalty to Xi Piao, He Weidong is much more prominent than Zhang Youxia.
The CCP Military Network reprinted the Xinhuanet report with the title “Zhang Youxia and He Weidong went to the troops stationed in Beijing to investigate and visit the officers and soldiers.” Zhang Youxia was ranked ahead of He Weidong.
(Screenshot from Military Network)
However, the party media People’s Daily also reprinted the aforementioned report from Xinhua News Agency, but the title read: “He Weidong and Zhang Youxia went to the troops stationed in Beijing to investigate and visit the officers and soldiers.” That is to say, He Weidong was ranked before Zhang Youxia.
(Screenshot from People’s Daily Online)
Originally, Zhang Youxia’s party ranking was ahead of He Weidong. Zhang Youxia was the vice chairman of the 19th Military Commission and remained the first vice chairman of the 20th Military Commission. He Weidong entered the Military Commission for the first time and became the vice chairman.
The CCP has strict control over propaganda. Every word from the layout to the title has strict regulations or is laid out according to instructions. This time when People’s Daily Online transferred the report to Xinhuanet, it was very sensitive to put He before Zhang. This is obviously not an editorial fault, or is the party media hinting that there may be subtle changes in the status of the two? Or it may involve internal strife.
In addition, official reports show that a so-called thematic education summary meeting for the Chinese Communist Party’s military to study “Xi’s Thought” was held in Beijing on the 7th. He Weidong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and leader of the Military Theme Education Leading Group, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. He once again emphasized the maintenance of Xi Jinping’s status and the responsibility system of the Chairman of the Military Commission. Central Military Commission members Liu Zhenli and Zhang Shengmin attended the meeting, and Central Military Commission member Miao Hua presided over the meeting.
Looking back, on April 10, 2023, the Chinese Communist Army held a mobilization and deployment meeting for the aforementioned “thematic education” work. At that time, Zhang Youxia presided over the meeting and delivered a speech, while He Weidong made mobilization arrangements. This time Zhang Youxia did not appear at the meeting as the leader of the military.
In the past 18th Central Military Commission, the two vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission, Fan Changlong and Xu Qiliang, and the two vice-chairmen of the 19th Central Military Commission, Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia, had more opportunities to participate in activities, which shows that the relationship between the two vice-chairmen is not bad. However, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong have relatively few activities together. It is not clear whether it is because the two are a bit incompatible.
The relationship between Zhang Youxia and Xi changed. He Weidong showed his talents and got into trouble.
The reason why the relationship between Zhang Youxia and He Weidong is sensitive is that Xi Jinping put Xi Jiajun in full power at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2022. It seems that he deliberately gave power to all Xi Jiajun factions in the Military Commission, and he played a balance in the middle. But as time goes on, it appears Xi is playing with fire.
Xi has a close Fujian gang in the military, ostensibly because of the so-called personnel layout for Taiwan’s military reunification. Two members of the Military Commission, He Weidong and Miao Hua, were both born in Fujian, and both had served in the original 31st Group Army stationed in Fujian for a long time. Xi Jinping spent 17 years of his political career in Fujian, and the original 31st Group Army has always been regarded by the outside world as Xi’s direct army. He Weidong previously served as the commander of the Eastern Theater Command, and Miao Hua served as political commissar of the Navy. The two are also representatives of the so-called “Taiwan Strait faction.”
It turned out that He Weidong was not even an alternate member of the Central Committee. He entered the Military Commission at the 20th National Congress and was directly promoted to vice chairman. This was an exceptional promotion, which shows that he has Xi’s trust.
Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli are the only two people in the Central Military Commission with actual combat experience, and both participated in the Sino-Vietnam War. Liu and Zhang were comrades-in-arms and superiors during the Vietnam War. The two are the so-called “Vietnam War faction.”
Zhang Youxia has a special relationship with the dismissed former Defense Minister Li Shangfu. They are all second generation red; Li Shangfu was Zhang Youxia’s subordinate when he was the director of the General Armament Department of the military. Zhang Shengmin, secretary of the Military Discipline Inspection Commission, is also considered to be Zhang Youxia’s man. He is a general from the Rocket Force of the Communist Party of China, and the Equipment Department of the Rocket Army has close ties with the General Equipment Department.
Zhang Youxia, who is over 70 years old, unexpectedly entered the Politburo at the 20th National Congress. Zhang Youxia’s father and Xi Jinping’s father, Xi Zhongxun, are both senior leaders of the CCP’s First Field Army. The two families are family friends. Xi Jinping appointed Zhang Youxia as vice chairman of the Military Commission, apparently to stabilize the morale of the military. However, this relationship is now slightly changing.
On July 26 last year, the CCP Military Commission wanted to investigate corruption clues in the equipment procurement and bidding process since October 2017. This time was just after Zhang Youxia resigned as director of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission and handed over to Li Shangfu. Subsequently, Xi Jinping launched a major purge of the CCP military. In addition to Li Shangfu being removed from the post of Minister of Defense, nine military generals were removed from their qualifications as deputies to the National People’s Congress. They were mainly from the Rocket Force and the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission.
Although Xi deliberately avoided the period when Zhang Youxia was in charge of the Ministry of Equipment Development during his investigation, something happened to Li Shangfu, and as his superior, the then Vice Chairman of the Military Commission Zhang Youxia was also responsible. Those corrupt generals who have been defeated will also “bite” in order to protect themselves, and they may bite Zhang Youxia. Zhang Youxia could not help but secretly be wary of Xi and be wary of him. The actual relationship between him and Xi may have changed drastically.
In this context, the 73-year-old Zhang Youxia is no longer of use to Xi, but is instead a burden. Even if he is not captured next, he may have to retire in exchange for peace and give way to He Weidong. On the other hand, He Weidong shows off his sharpness and frequently mentions Xi Jinping in public speeches to declare his power. His people can’t wait to show off. This may be the reason why He Weidong was ranked higher than Zhang Youxia on People’s Daily Online. However, it is definitely not a good thing for He Weidong’s group to do this, because the forces supporting Zhang Youxia will be even more dissatisfied. In the future, the internal strife in the Xi family army may become more public.
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Editor in charge: Sun Yun#
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2024-02-09 12:46:38
