Recently, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia and Military Commission member Liu Zhenli were removed from their positions. With their downfall, the current Military Commission now only consists of Chairman Xi Jinping and Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin. Foreign media describe the CCP’s Military Commission as essentially destroyed, with Xi Jinping earning the new nickname “the Destroyer,” sparking widespread attention to the underlying dynamics of this destruction.
On February 2nd, the magazine “Foreign Affairs” published an article titled “Xi the Destroyer.” The authors, Jonathan A. Czin, a research fellow at the Brookings Institution’s China Center and former China analyst at the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), along with former senior intelligence officer John Culver, delve into the relationship between Xi and Zhang Youxia, emphasizing their long history of camaraderie stemming from their fathers’ comradeship during China’s tumultuous civil war.
Xi Jinping’s drastic action against Zhang Youxia is seen as a signal of his ruthless management style within the military. The public removal of Zhang underscores Xi’s approach of leaving no one safe, not even those with deep personal connections. This move has marked a seismic shift in CCP politics even by Xi’s stringent standards.
The authors question Xi’s ability to achieve his elusive goal of creating a military that is both fiercely loyal to the party and meets his exacting standards of combat readiness. Xi Jinping’s moniker as “the Destroyer” has raised concerns among commentators, with some referring to him as the “Accelerator” within overseas Chinese online communities, portraying him as hastening the downfall of the CCP.
Over the past two years, internal power struggles within the top echelons of the CCP have intensified significantly. Prior to the Fourth Plenary Session last October, nine senior generals personally selected by Xi Jinping were suddenly stripped of their military and party membership. Observers suggest that Xi’s new nickname in Beijing circles, “General Slayer,” highlights his role as an executioner of top CCP military leaders.
The removal of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli on January 24 leaves the Central Military Commission, which originally consisted of seven members, with only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin remaining at the helm.
In a recent analysis by Radio France Internationale’s Chinese website, it explores how the current iteration of the CCP Central Military Commission met its demise. The commentary highlights the shift in tone from CCP military reports condemning Zhang and Liu for undermining Xi’s leadership to emphasizing the need for Xi’s trust, signaling a lack of reverence for Xi’s absolute authority.
The post-Twentieth Party Congress era has witnessed the consolidation of power under Xi Jinping, reminiscent of the Mao era personality cult. However, the rapid turnover and purges within the top military leadership signal an ongoing struggle for control within the party’s highest ranks.
The swift downfall of Zhang Youxia and others underscores Xi’s escalating suspicions and paranoia, heightening the atmosphere of uncertainty and fear within the CCP leadership. As political scholar Wu Guoguang suggests, supreme dictators often fall into a spiral of increasing power grabs driven by insecurity.
Scholars warn that Xi Jinping’s deepening paranoia and distrust of those around him could lead to further crackdowns within the CCP, perpetuating a cycle of brutal purges and reshuffling of military leadership. The unfolding dynamics within the CCP signal a tumultuous period ahead, as Xi Jinping tightens his grip on power amidst internal strife and uncertainty.