Recent reports from China indicate ongoing crackdowns within the Communist Party, with many high-ranking officials closely associated with Xi Jinping falling from grace. Rumors have emerged suggesting Xi is facing a crisis of being surrounded by “two-faced individuals.” Insider sources reveal that there are numerous anti-Communist figures embedded in the Chinese officialdom who survive using a strategy of double-dealing. The party has long been experimenting with using AI to test political loyalty, a sign of the regime’s late-stage vulnerabilities and the potential for a collective backlash by officials.
On July 25, independent commentator Du Zheng, known for exposing insider information, wrote in Taiwan’s media outlet “Up Media,” questioning the level of anti-Communist sentiment within the Chinese officialdom. He highlighted that the political landscape under Xi Jinping’s rule may not be as controllable as it appears, with many officials harboring sentiments shifting from anti-Xi to anti-Communist, and even secret participation in anti-Communist circles among mid-level bureaucrats.
According to a disclosed source, a recently ousted deputy provincial-level official in China privately expressed belief that they would witness the downfall of the Communist Party within their lifetime. There are indeed dissenting voices within the country, primarily among underground dissenters, including some businessmen, select mid-level officials, and even police officers who engage in discussions through secure communication channels, aiming to enlighten the Chinese populace about democratic principles. These officials primarily work behind the scenes.
It is essential to distinguish genuine corruption from fabricated charges of disloyalty within the Communist Party. While many fallen high officials are accused of disloyalty and disseminating banned political materials, engaging in power and monetary trades, their motivations might not necessarily align with being true anti-Communist figures but rather a strategic move to safeguard their interests. The root of the party’s problems lies with morally bankrupt officials who engage in human rights violations. Some officials accused of corruption are merely scapegoats used by the authorities to conceal hidden agendas, as seen in the case of Ren Zhiqiang, who faced repercussions for his outspoken views.
Critics argue that the presence of anti-Communist elements in the officialdom poses a significant challenge for Xi Jinping’s rule over China under the Communist Party’s banner. The party has a strict ideological vetting mechanism for selecting cadres to prevent politically disloyal individuals from rising to power and potentially toppling the regime during crucial times.
Further disclosures suggest that Xi Jinping has been wary of the “post-1964 generation” of young people in China, intensifying scrutiny in recent years during the selection and promotion processes, reflecting one of the reasons behind his reluctance to groom a successor. The crackdown following the Tiananmen Square incident has bred a considerable number of individuals with anti-Communist sentiments within the officialdom who navigate the system using a tradition of duplicity, cultivated over the harsh years of authoritarian rule where people comply outwardly but harbor discontent within, awaiting a moment to strike back.
Reflecting on Deng Xiaoping’s oscillating political fortunes, where he oscillated between support and criticism under Mao Zedong’s rule, Du Zheng argues that adopting a temporary facade to resist authoritarian rule can carry a positive connotation for “two-faced individuals,” a group often vilified by Xi Jinping. Individuals like Ma Ruilin, a former official from the Gansu Province who fled abroad, have highlighted the insincere adulation towards China’s top leaders among many officials, indicating widespread internal resentment.
Amid increasing technological advancements, the party is resorting to periodic inspections and public denunciations to identify disloyal elements. Xi Jinping’s emphasis on encouraging people to dare to engage in struggles stems from concerns about eroding loyalty within the officialdom. However, recent developments suggest that the Central Organization Department may have resorted to utilizing artificial intelligence to preempt the rise of “two-faced individuals.”
In 2022, the Hefei National Science Center Institute of Artificial Intelligence, established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Anhui authorities following national lab standards, boasted about their AI system linked to party building for assessing Communist Party members’ commitment to ideological education. The equipment named “Intelligent Ideological Education” purportedly gauges loyalty to Xi Jinping based on physiological responses like heart rate, sweating, and emotional expressions. Nonetheless, the information about this technology seems to have been removed from the public domain.
Du Zheng condemns the use of AI as a means to measure loyalty, considering it a violation of human rights under the Communist regime. Many who join the Communist Party do not do so out of genuine belief but as a means of survival. Implementing technology to assess loyalty reflects the regime’s loss of control over individual sentiments, signaling an advanced stage of authoritarian rule. In such an atmosphere, more officials previously complacent may be compelled to become anti-Communist figures, strategically waiting for an opportune moment to collectively overthrow Xi Jinping and the Communist Party.
Overseas scholar Yuan Hongbing has underscored the ongoing purges within the party machinery, where disloyalty to Xi Jinping is often cited as the primary reason for officials’ downfall. The pervasive phenomenon of “two-faced individuals” within the party apparatus poses a critical threat to Xi Jinping’s autocratic rule, potentially isolating him further, devoid of trustworthy allies.
The issues surrounding “two-faced individuals” represent a complex challenge within the party hierarchy, as officials navigate loyalty and self-preservation in a system fraught with political uncertainties. As dissent simmers beneath the surface, the party grapples with internal tensions and fears of opposition fermenting into a formidable threat to the established order.