Gravely Ill and Stripped of Power, Xi Jinping Struggles Like a Cornered Beast — Is He Using Two Military and Political Heavyweights to Strike Back?

Image: He Weidong, Zhao Keshi, and other Xi Jinping loyalists being purged by Zhang Youxia. (Qingyu / People News graphic)

— A "Funeral Coup" by Xi’s Faction? Xi Jinping Hit by Twin Blows: Loss of Power and Health Crisis
[People News] Xi Jinping is like a cornered beast, fighting back. Mourning music blares while praise is sung — he uses funerals to counterattack his enemies.

In the sweltering June heat of the Forbidden City, news of Xi Jinping losing power and handing over authority is spreading like wildfire. Turbulent undercurrents run through Zhongnanhai, and a historic upheaval seems poised to unfold dramatically. Yet two unusual funerals in quick succession for vice-national-level political heavyweights have injected variables and suspense into this shadowy, high-stakes political power struggle.

On June 12, the funeral of Hoton (Raidi), a vice-national-level CCP leader, was held at Babaoshan Cemetery. CCP leader Xi Jinping made another public appearance. Trailing behind him in the ceremonial procession were six other Politburo Standing Committee members — same mourning music, same formalities, same blood-red party flag. As usual, Xi clasped the hand of Raidi’s family member with his right hand, left hand hanging, eyelids lowered.

Unlike at the funeral of Xu Qiliang four days earlier, Raidi’s family made eye contact with Xi, meeting his gaze. This was not a heartfelt emotional connection in the face of death, but a clumsy display of funeral politics orchestrated by the General Office of the CCP Central Committee. At Xu Qiliang’s funeral, the family members refused to even look Xi in the eye, sparking public speculation about the true cause of Xu’s death. Their defiant and public gesture likely dealt a serious blow to Xi’s dignity and reputation. To preserve what little honour he has left before stepping down, Xi’s right-hand man, Cai Qi, probably worked hard behind the scenes to ensure Raidi’s family finally raised their sorrowful eyes to the politically "correct" level.

Such a seemingly small shift in eye contact reveals a dictator's political calculations before being held to account.

And the strangeness doesn’t stop there. According to standard CCP protocol for funerals of vice-national-level officials, members of the Politburo must send wreaths. This is not merely a superficial gesture of condolence — it’s a silent political oath, a signal of power alignment and organisational loyalty. Who sends a wreath and who doesn’t is never a matter of courtesy but a political weather vane — a sign of who’s in trouble and who isn’t.

At Xu Qiliang’s funeral, He Weidong’s conspicuous absence from the wreath list was startling. It wasn’t that He Weidong didn’t want to send a wreath — he couldn’t. Even if he tried, he wouldn’t have been allowed. The CCP’s power struggles are more brutal than the average person can imagine. Once a trusted military vice-chairman and Xi Jinping’s close military confidant, He no longer even has the right to be mourned.

At Raidi’s funeral on June 12, another detail drew intense outside attention. On the collective wreaths from Politburo members, the name of Zhang Youxia — de facto controller of military power and the key stabiliser of the anti-Xi faction — was missing. At first glance, it seemed his name was simply absent. But upon closer inspection, it hadn’t disappeared — it had been covered up.

To the right of He Lifeng’s name on a mourning banner, a partial stroke of the character "Zhang" (張) is barely visible, but the rest of Zhang Youxia’s name is completely obscured. Was this a sloppy mistake by the staff? Not at all — this was deliberate political choreography on display.

Zhang’s name being "disappeared" was clearly an order executed by Cai Qi. It was Xi Jinping’s way of sending a curious political message to the public — a gesture more symbolic than damaging, a toothless act of political revenge. It's more akin to a desperate venting from a sidelined political figure trying to stir public attention than a show of real power.

Xu Qiliang and Raidi — two highly decorated military and political giants — schemed for power all their lives, yet likely never imagined their funerals would be turned into Xi Jinping’s stage for political counterattacks. The official obituaries published in party media for both men were filled with over-the-top praise for Xi Jinping: slogans like the "Four Confidences," "Two Establishes," "Two Safeguards," and "Four Consciousnesses" were prominently featured.

Is Xi Jinping staging a "funeral coup"? Even if so, no matter how much it is magnified or spun, it amounts to little more than a Xi-style voodoo ritual — a nostalgic farewell to power from someone who once sought invincibility, now reduced to orchestrating his own political requiem.

At both funerals, former CCP leader Hu Jintao’s solo wreath offering stood out, leaving Xi Jinping visibly unsettled, like a bone stuck in his throat or a thorn in his back. Inside the system, rumors are flying: Xi is out, and Wang Yang and Hu Chunhua are now in charge at Zhongnanhai. Zhang Youxia, still in full military uniform and armed, is said to be patrolling Beijing at night. One rumour claims Xi Jinping sighed upon learning this: "He's three years older than me, yet his health is thirty years better..." — referring to Zhang Youxia.

Online reports cite an internal briefing from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) dated June 9, submitted to the Kremlin. It reveals that Xi Jinping is gravely ill. From May 25 through the first week of June, he suffered repeated heart attacks. Doctors warned that continuing to attend meetings could be disastrous.

According to The Epoch Times, a reliable source revealed that although Xi still appears to be in power publicly, in reality, he has already lost control. Former premier Wen Jiabao, Zhang Youxia, and other CCP elders have become the key players shaping China's political future. The source claims that Xi actually began losing power as early as April last year. Though he attempted several counterattacks — even resorting to firearms — he failed each time. Now, he is merely playing along, doing whatever he’s told.

Xi Jinping is facing a dual onslaught: loss of power and a health crisis. His so-called "funeral coup" is nothing more than a historical farce. △

(First published by People News)