The General Promotion Ceremony Reveals Xi's Deviation from the 'Core' Position

Recently, Cai Qi has made three consecutive unusual moves, which seem to support rumours that Xi Jinping's power is being curtailed. (Video screenshot)

[People News] After more than a year, during which many generals in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were dismissed, the CCP Military Commission held a promotion ceremony for the rank of general on December 22. Xi Jinping, the nominal chairman of the Military Commission, attended the ceremony alongside the remaining three members: Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia, Zhang Shengmin, and Liu Zhenli. The two generals promoted were Yang Zhibin, commander of the Eastern Theatre Command, and Han Shengyan, commander of the Central Theater Command.

Considering the backgrounds of these two generals, if Zhang Youxia wields real power over the military, it is likely that they do not belong to Xi's faction; otherwise, the opposite would be true. A small detail from state media suggests that these two generals are not aligned with Xi, indicating that his actual status has strayed from the 'core'.

At first glance, the format of the state media reports is similar to previous ones, with only the names of the promoted individuals and attendees differing. However, there is a subtle change in the accompanying photos, especially when compared to several promotional announcements from 2022.

As per convention, the reports from the PLA Daily, Military Network, and Xinhua News Agency are covered by their respective journalists, and it is not unusual for the content to be similar. Notably, while the photos distributed this year by the PLA Daily, Military Network, and Xinhua News Agency vary in size, they share a common feature: Xi Jinping's position is slightly off-centre, with the central position located between him and Zhang Youxia, as indicated by the movable podium where the newly promoted generals stand.

Since 2022, excluding the current event, the Chinese Communist Party has conducted around six promotion ceremonies for generals. With the exception of two occasions where not all members of the Military Commission and the newly promoted generals were photographed together, the other four events on March 28, 2024, December 25, 2023, July 31, and June 28 featured group photos that included all personnel. In these photos, Xi Jinping occupies the central position without any deviation.

This brings to mind the event on November 9, when Xi Jinping took a group photo in Guangzhou with representatives from advanced units and individuals in national mass sports, as well as advanced collectives and individuals from the national sports system, just before the opening of the 15th National Games. Alongside Zhang Youxia, those present included Li Hongzhong, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress, Huang Kunming, a member of the Politburo and Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee, State Councillor Shen Yiqin, and Wang Dongfeng, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

In comparison to the 2017 group photo, where high-ranking officials in the front row were closely spaced, the seating arrangement in this recent photo appears somewhat unusual. There is a noticeable difference in the spacing between seats in the front row. The distance between Xi and Zhang Youxia on his right, as well as Li Hongzhong on his left, is approximately the distance of two and a half people. Similarly, the distance between Zhang Youxia and Shen Yiqin on his right is also about two and a half people, while the distance between Li Hongzhong and the official on his left is one and a half people. The spacing for other individuals is similar, with Shen Yiqin and the official on her right also having a distance of one and a half people, and the spacing for others being roughly the same.

Additionally, the CCTV footage reveals that when the camera is pulled back, the seating arrangement shows that Zhang Youxia and Xi are both in prominent positions.

This suggests that while Xi and Zhang Youxia are intentionally keeping their distance, it may also indicate that Zhang Youxia holds a unique status within the military. Could his power rival that of Xi Jinping?

Since Xi's incident last July, there have been increasing signs that Zhang Youxia's position is significant. For instance, during the Central Economic Work Conference on December 10, state media unusually specified 'Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission' when listing attendees; on November 27, a military spokesperson openly mentioned that Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin met with members of the propaganda team and received reports, and this was noted after the names of the 'Two Zhangs' along with the customary loyalty phrases regarding Xi; at the Fourth Plenary Session, Zhang Shengmin, who had removed several of Xi's military confidants, was promoted to Vice Chairman of the Military Commission; during the 'September 3' military parade, Zhang Youxia was seen on the Tiananmen rostrum; and when Xi visited Xinjiang and Tibet, Zhang Youxia did not accompany him as he had in the past...

While it is an undeniable fact that Xi has lost military power, the CCP continues to play its role without fully adhering to previous protocols to elevate Xi, which explains these subtle changes. The author observes that the photographers for the military newspaper are all the same individual; would a photographer who is knowledgeable about CCP protocols and understands who should be positioned at the core make such a minor 'error'?

The only answer is 'acting on orders'. Although Xi (Xi Jinping) appears to still hold a central position, a slight shift away from the centre indicates that he is no longer the 'core'. This likely explains the genuine displeasure reflected in Xi's facial expressions in videos and photos. How many would be willing to accept a decline from the status of 'one supreme'?

(First published by People News) △