On December 4th, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping inspected the Communist Party’s Information Support Force, and the seating arrangement at the venue has sparked speculation.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi Jinping inspected the Communist Party’s Information Support Force, which was established in April, accompanied by Deputy Chairmen of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia and He Wende, as well as Chief of the Joint Staff of the Central Military Commission Liu Zhenli and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Central Military Commission Zhang Shengmin. Apart from Miao Hua, the director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission who was recently suspended for investigation, all five members of the Military Commission are now present.
Commentator Zhong Yuan pointed out that the top leadership of the Military Commission now needs to make a collective appearance to dispel rumors. However, when they met with delegates of the Information Support Force, there were no smiles on their faces, and the atmosphere did not seem to be filled with “enthusiastic congratulations.” In the video footage, Xi Jinping can be seen shaking hands with soldiers, taking photos, listening to reports, and delivering speeches without smiling, seeming at times to be in a low spirits and not very happy.
The seating arrangement of Xi Jinping in the conference room has attracted attention from the public.
Radio Free Asia reported that the seating arrangement of Xi Jinping at the conference was different from his previous attendance at military meetings: Xi Jinping did not sit on the stage to speak but sat alone at a large desk. On his front sides were several rows of connected long tables, with four members of the Central Military Commission and other senior military officials sitting at the long tables. Xi Jinping’s desk was at the same height as these long tables.
Xi Jinping’s background was a light brown cloth curtain and did not have a bright lighting effect.
However, in another video clip aired by China Central Television, there was actually a podium and a large electronic screen background in the conference room. But Xi Jinping did not take the podium; instead, he sat alone below the stage with a simple background.
Some observers believe that this time Xi Jinping did not arrange for two members of the Military Commission to sit on his left and right, but let Xi Jinping perform a monologue, appearing to secure his position. However, more observers believe that this seating arrangement appears to be unfavorable to Xi.
Chinese expert Cheng Xiang told Radio Free Asia that this seating arrangement was unusual and was intended to make people feel that Xi Jinping is “sitting on an equal footing with everyone else, no longer elevated.” This may be another way of expressing the idea that after the Third Plenum of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping’s status is no longer being highlighted.
A netizen named “Tal” commented, “This seating arrangement is highly disrespectful to the speaker, which should be highly taboo in the Chinese officialdom. It’s like (Xi Jinping) speaking to the air, and everyone is looking askance at the leader (Xi Jinping). The reasonable and normal practice should be people sitting in front of the leader below, giving instructions face to face, which would be in line with the normal practice of the Chinese Communist Party. Very bizarre.”
Taiwanese scholar Su Ziyun, in an interview with Voice of America, said that the actual situation of the inspection meeting that Xi Jinping attended that day is unclear, making it difficult to judge. However, there exists a “seating politics” in the Chinese political arena, which may serve as an indication of Xi Jinping’s “isolated power”.
According to independent commentator Du Zheng’s previous analysis, in the factions within the Chinese military, Miao Hua and Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission He Wende are both from the Fujian clique, while Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission Zhang Youxia and Secretary of the Military Discipline Committee Zhang Shengmin are from the Shaanxi clique. Both Liu Zhenli, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Military Commission, and Zhang Youxia have participated in the Vietnam War, and their relationship is close.
Official media reports stated that Xi Jinping emphasized during the meeting that the military should strengthen “clean and honest governance and anti-corruption efforts” and ensure the army’s “absolute loyalty, absolute purity, and absolute reliability.” However, the official reports did not mention the system of responsibility of the chairman of the Military Commission, and the Information Support Force did not chant the slogan of “resolutely obey Chairman Xi’s command, be responsible to Chairman Xi, and reassure Chairman Xi.”