Xi Jinping's Growing Suspicion of Everyone Around Him Mirrors the Later Years of Stalin

The persecution has led to a backlash, resulting in a loss of power, and those in high positions are merely playing supporting roles. (Illustration by People News)

[People News] Recently, I came across a video featuring North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un. During a conference, he noticed an official in the audience dozing off and immediately ordered that the official be removed, clearly indicating that the official's fate would not be favourable. This situation reflects the Chinese saying, 'Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger,' which is particularly relevant in authoritarian regimes.

In contemporary China, General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping is conducting a sweeping purge within the party and military, instilling fear among officials at all levels. Many of those purged were officials he personally promoted, including former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, former Xinjiang Secretary Ma Xingrui, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission He Weidong, Zhang Youxia, former Defence Minister Wei Fenghe, and Li Shangfu. Reports indicate that since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party in 2022, over the past three years, 131 senior generals have been arrested, including more than 20 generals.

Xi's decision to arrest officials he appointed underscores his deep distrust of those around him. From Xi's perspective, there may be very few trustworthy individuals in his circle. This scenario is reminiscent of Stalin's later years in the Soviet Union. According to the memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev, who succeeded Stalin, the latter felt increasingly isolated before his death, tormented by inner turmoil, and suspected everyone around him, believing that the entire world was conspiring against him. What were the specific manifestations of this paranoia?

Initially, Stalin was suspicious that someone was attempting to poison him. As a result, every time he dined, each dish had to be tasted first by his staff, which included bodyguards, chefs, or personal secretaries. The person tasting the food would eat it in front of him, wait a few minutes to ensure nothing was amiss, and only then would Stalin begin to eat.

Could it be that Xi Jinping operates in a similar manner? Whether at the Chinese Communist Party Congress or during the recent state banquet for U.S. President Trump, there were dedicated security personnel serving Xi water. Is this a precaution against potential poisoning? Does his daily dining routine also involve a poison testing procedure?

Moreover, Stalin harboured distrust towards those around him, including long-time subordinates. In 1952, he imprisoned his personal secretary, Poskrebyshev, who had been with him for nearly thirty years, and he also dismissed and imprisoned his chief bodyguard, Vlasik. The reasons behind these actions remain a mystery.

For his old comrades who had fought alongside him for power, such as Beria, Malenkov, Molotov, Voroshilov, and Kaganovich, Stalin's trust gradually turned into suspicion, particularly towards Molotov, the second-in-command, whose treatment changed most dramatically.

Previously, before making significant decisions, Stalin would often consult only Molotov, who was likely the only member of the Politburo capable of challenging Stalin's opinions. However, by 1952, Stalin unexpectedly accused Molotov at a Central Committee meeting of 'surrendering to American imperialism' and suggested that he should not be allowed to join the Standing Committee of the Politburo.

Khrushchev later noted in his memoirs that had Stalin lived longer, the outcomes for Molotov and Mikoyan would have been quite tragic.

Another member of the Politburo, Malinkov, effectively managed nearly all of Stalin's personal affairs during the latter years of his life, categorising and filtering the documents presented to him, making him one of Stalin's closest associates. However, at banquets, Stalin often referred to Malinkov as 'spineless' and 'weak' in front of others.

In contrast, Xi Jinping may exhibit similar ruthlessness. Reports suggest that Xi frequently changes the heads of the security bureau and his guards due to concerns about unforeseen events. In April 2023, news emerged regarding the sudden death of Wang Shaojun, the former deputy director of the General Office of the Central Committee and head of the security bureau, as well as a former lieutenant general in the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission. Curiously, the official announcement of his death was delayed by three months. What unknown factors are at play here?

Regarding other Politburo members, while Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and others are connected to Xi's rise, how much trust does Xi actually place in them? Will Cai Qi, who has served as Xi's director of the General Office for many years, also face abandonment one day?

Thirdly, Stalin would decide his route back to his dacha in Kuntsevo on the spot each time, fearing that someone might ambush him along the way. This reveals his deep-seated fears.

For Xi, who works and resides in Zhongnanhai, he does not share the same concerns as Stalin. However, every time he goes out, the police block roads, and there is extensive security. Even during field research, he refrains from moving freely. Could this also be a sign of fear?

Lastly, Stalin had an extreme distrust of doctors.

In 1952, a group of prominent medical experts in the Soviet Union were baselessly accused of causing the deaths of national leaders such as Andrei Zhdanov and Mikhail Shcherbakov. Consequently, a significant number of Soviet marshals from the army, navy, and air force were advised to 'cease all activities and rest quietly,' leading to their arrest on the grounds of incapacitation. In December of that year, at the initiative of Joseph Stalin, the Praesidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union passed a resolution titled 'On the Sabotage of Medicine,' and on January 13, 1953, an official report regarding the arrests, known as 'The Doctor's Plot,' was published in the newspaper.

A total of 37 individuals were arrested, including 28 doctors and 9 family members. Under torture, all of them 'confessed.' However, following Stalin's death, all the accused doctors were exonerated, although two died in prison.

After the 'Doctor's Plot' incident, Stalin regarded every doctor as an enemy, a terrorist, and a spy sent by Western intelligence agencies to harm him. As a result, he allowed only one dentist to treat him. The direct consequence of this was that after he suffered a stroke shortly before his death, the senior leadership of the Soviet Communist Party was unsure whom to call for his medical care.

In contrast to Stalin, Xi Jinping's health condition is also a closely guarded secret within the Chinese Communist Party, and any doctor who leaks information about his health will face severe consequences. Following reports of Xi suffering a stroke in July 2024, it was revealed in September that Professor Shang Aijia, the director of the spinal and spinal column surgery department at the First Medical Centre of the General Hospital of the Chinese Communist Army (Beijing 301 Hospital), tragically passed away at the age of 51.

Interestingly, the obituary was not issued in the name of any institution, such as the 301 Hospital or the PLA General Hospital, but rather by the family in a personal capacity, signed personally. Moreover, the phrase "傲骨永存" (Pride Endures) in the obituary is quite intriguing. "Could it be that he was removed for leaking secrets? This possibility cannot be entirely dismissed.

Fifth, in his later years, one of Stalin's favourite pastimes during meetings was to suddenly fall silent and stare at the attendees.

For instance, after the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, during a Central Committee plenary session, Stalin abruptly stopped speaking halfway through the meeting. He simply sat there, his gaze sweeping from left to right and then from right to left, scrutinising each Politburo member and ministerial participant.

On another occasion, while dining and drinking with other high-ranking officials at his villa, Stalin excused himself to go to the restroom but instead eavesdropped outside the door. The people inside were well aware of Stalin's intentions, so no one dared to say anything inappropriate; they continued to drink and chat, their voices even louder than before.

Khrushchev later recounted in his memoirs that Stalin insisted those around him maintain a cheerful demeanour; if anyone displayed even a hint of contemplation or a frown, Stalin would fix them with a suspicious stare. As a result, those dining with him had to wear smiles, regardless of their true thoughts.

Today, Xi certainly does not need to resort to such tactics; he employs high-tech surveillance to monitor all current and retired high officials, using security personnel to keep an eye on all officials. How is this mentality any different from that of Stalin?

Stalin's actions stemmed from a deep-seated fear of assassination. Similarly, Xi Jinping, who has faced multiple assassination attempts, shares a mindset akin to that of Stalin, focused on preventing others from usurping his position and avoiding an untimely death.

What was the fate of Stalin? His fears and unwillingness to form close relationships led to a profoundly lonely existence in his later years. He had two sons: one had died, and the other was incapacitated. His second wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva, tragically took her own life after enduring humiliation from Stalin. His daughter, Svetlana, was the only family member with whom he maintained a relatively close bond, but their relationship suffered due to her marital troubles. In 1967, Svetlana escaped to the United States, where she publicly burned her Soviet passport, denouncing her father as a 'devil of morality and spirit.'

In his twilight years, Stalin's routine was to go to bed around four or five in the morning and rise around three or four in the afternoon, with long evenings that necessitated companionship.

On the evening of February 28, 1953, Stalin hosted a dinner at his villa in Kuntsevo, attended by Malenkov, Beria, Khrushchev, Bulganin, and Svetlana.

That night, the drinking went on late into the evening. Around four in the morning, the guests began to leave, and Stalin returned to his room to rest. However, throughout the day on March 1, the staff at the villa did not see him leave his room. While this was somewhat normal, by five or six in the afternoon, there was still no sign of activity from his room. The security guards responsible for his safety felt uneasy, but no one dared to knock on his door. This was due to Stalin's strict order: no one was to disturb him while he was resting. Those who had previously disturbed him had all met with fatal consequences.

They waited until ten o'clock that night, when one of the guards finally gathered the courage to open the bedroom door. He found Stalin lying on the floor, dressed in pyjamas and a tank top, covered with a blanket. He was conscious but unable to speak. He had lost control of his bladder, and a large area of the blanket was wet.

Stalin's secretary, Tofstukhah, along with several guards, lifted him onto the sofa. They wanted to find a doctor but were unsure who to contact. Tofstukhah did not dare to call Malenkov or Beria directly; instead, he first contacted the head of Stalin's office and reported the situation up the chain of command. By the time Beria and Malenkov arrived at the villa, it was already early morning on March 2.

According to later declassified documents, the first thing Beria said upon entering was not, 'How is Comrade Stalin?' but rather, 'Are you sure he really had a stroke? Please tell me you didn't get it wrong.' Clearly, Beria needed to confirm the facts; otherwise, if he misspoke, it could cost him his life.

The doctor finally arrived around 2 a.m. on March 2, and the examination revealed extensive bleeding in the left side of Stalin's brain, which had already caused a severe stroke. Stalin was lying on the sofa, breathing heavily, occasionally opening his eyes, but his gaze was vacant, and he could not recognise anyone.

In the days that followed, Stalin's condition fluctuated between improvement and decline. On March 4, he briefly regained consciousness and even attempted to raise his left hand, as if he wanted to say something, but he was unable to speak. On the evening of March 5, his condition deteriorated sharply. At 9:50 p.m. that night, the attending physician announced Stalin's death. Would the outcome have been different if he had received treatment sooner?

Just after Stalin's stroke, Beria, Malenkov, Khrushchev, and Bulganin had already completed the transfer of power. Malenkov served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, effectively the Prime Minister; Beria, Molotov, Kaganovich, and Bulganin were his deputies; Khrushchev became the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. For them, Stalin's death was a relief, allowing them to finally breathe easy.

Beria was executed less than a year after Stalin's death, Malenkov was dismissed in 1955 and later expelled from the party, and Khrushchev was ousted in 1964 but managed to live out his later years in peace. He mentioned that he knew some details about Stalin's death, but there were also aspects he had only heard about.

So, what will be the ultimate fate of Xi, who is loathed within the party and lives in fear? After his death, how many people will breathe a sigh of relief?

(People News first published) △