According to a revelation by former Chinese naval officer Yao Cheng on the social media platform X, there are signs that Zhang Youxia is targeting the navy. Reports suggest that former Political Commissar Qin Shengxiang and current Political Commissar Yuan Huazhi are under investigation. Additionally, current Director of the CCP Military Commission's Political Department, Miao Hua, might also be in trouble.

If this information is accurate, it would be further evidence that Xi Jinping’s power is being diminished.

The news about Qin Shengxiang being investigated was detailed in an article published by *People’s Daily* on October 6 titled “Coup Rumors Are Not Baseless, Xi’s Loyalists Are Frequently Falling: Military Reform Office Director Allegedly Under Investigation.” At that time, the information came from Ms. Li Juan, who lives in Australia. She said she obtained the news from a friend, a CEO of a listed company in China. Given the extreme secrecy surrounding such matters in the CCP, Ms. Li could not verify the information. However, Yao Cheng has since received confirmation from conscientious insiders within the system, lending credibility to Ms. Li's report.

Yao Cheng also pointed out that both Qin Shengxiang and Yuan Huazhi were promoted between 2014 and 2017, when Miao Hua was the Navy’s Political Commissar. Both Qin and Miao were also from the former 31st Army, which is a core faction of Xi Jinping’s loyalists. This connection leads to further suspicion, especially considering that another close associate of Xi, 61-year-old Army Political Commissar General Qin Shutong, has also been rumored to have fallen from power. These developments suggest that Miao Hua might be in trouble and that Xi Jinping has likely lost control of the military.

Public records show that Yuan Huazhi joined the military in 1978 and served in the navy's political work departments for a long time. He held positions such as Political Commissar of the Marine Brigade and President of *People’s Navy Newspaper*. In December 2015, he became Political Commissar of the Navy Equipment Research Institute. In 2017, he was appointed Political Commissar of the Marine Corps, and in December 2018, he was promoted to Political Commissar of the Eastern Theater Command Air Force. In January 2022, he was promoted to Navy Political Commissar and simultaneously to the rank of General. His career advancement occurred after Xi Jinping consolidated control of the military.

Yao Cheng commented on X that they are likely people connected to Miao Hua, Xi’s close confidant in the Central Military Commission. "It now seems that the investigation was probably initiated by Zhang Youxia, but I believe Miao Hua would have tried to protect them. The situation is getting complicated," Yao wrote, adding that “the army units above the military district level have already been notified of relevant information.”

Independent producer Li Jun believes that various signs point to instability in Xi Jinping's control over the military. Xi’s decision to arrest Li Shangfu has already affected his authority within the military. It is unlikely that Xi would now move against his own loyalists, as doing so would further erode his prestige, indicating that there are abnormal developments in play.

Some observers, however, suggest that it is not Xi Jinping’s authority that is in question but rather his trust in Miao Hua. Miao Hua did not gain a position on the CCP Military Commission’s Cadre Evaluation Committee and was not entrusted with the personnel decisions of CCP officers. Furthermore, it has been over a year since Dong Jun was appointed as Minister of Defense without being promoted to the Military Commission or named a State Councilor. Similarly, Wang Houbin, who was originally expected to transition into the role of Deputy Chief of Staff in the Military Commission’s Joint Staff Department, has seen no such movement. These individuals were all promoted by former Navy Political Commissar Miao Hua, which suggests that Xi may have lost confidence in Miao.

Yao Cheng further remarked on social media that Miao Hua, being a member of the Central Military Commission, could only be targeted by someone of Zhang Youxia's rank.

However, the fall of Qin Shengxiang and Yuan Huazhi has not yet been confirmed by CCP officials. Many senior military and defense industry leaders, such as Li Yuchao, Liu Guangbin, Zhang Zhenzhong, Sun Jinming, Wu Yansheng, Yuan Jie, Chen Guoying, and Tan Ruisong, were first reported on social media before their downfalls were officially confirmed.

Political commentator Xu Ke wrote that the exposure of large-scale corruption in the Rocket Force last year, followed by the disbandment of the Strategic Support Force (another creation of Xi's military reforms), symbolizes the failure of Xi’s military reforms. If Qin Shengxiang is arrested, it would be a major embarrassment for Xi.

Xu Ke speculated that the main reason behind this is that Xi and He Weidong have investigated a large number of people in the equipment system, most of whom were connected to Zhang Youxia. Zhang has close ties to Xi’s family, which explains why Zhang remains untouched despite widespread corruption, a fact that has fueled dissatisfaction within the military. Zhang’s deep connections in the military and participation in the Vietnam War, coupled with his close ties to influential CCP elders, give him considerable influence. The CCP military also has a unique culture of loyalty and camaraderie. If Zhang is targeting Miao Hua, it would indicate that Xi Jinping is facing serious challenges within the military or that his control over the armed forces has slipped.

Another strong indication that Xi’s power is being undermined is the quiet restoration of English signage in public places such as Beijing subway stations. These were replaced with Pinyin during the 2022 Winter Olympics to showcase Xi Jinping’s "cultural confidence." The reversion to English now suggests that this confidence was misplaced and that Xi’s hardline ideological stance is facing setbacks within the party. Internal dissatisfaction with policies that hinder foreign engagement is reportedly pushing Xi to make concessions under the pretext of promoting economic development and attracting foreign investment.

Experts believe that the CCP is caught in a crisis of internal power struggles, with factions clashing in a life-or-death battle. However, on the surface, the regime will continue to project an image of stability and prosperity until it inevitably collapses. China is now entering a stage where sudden and drastic changes are increasingly possible.