The member of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, Miao Hua, has been suspended for investigation, and related internal information and analysis are still fermenting online. There are revelations about three patrons behind Miao Hua’s career, as he was in charge of many military song and dance troupes and had issues with his personal behavior. Analysis suggests that Xi Jinping is currently facing troubles due to the downfall of his close aides, leading to intensified infighting within the Chinese Communist Party at the upcoming Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee.
According to an article by Hong Kong special envoy Li Chun published in Taiwan’s “United Daily News” on the 7th, the incidents involving two members of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party within a year (the other being Li Shangfu) have a significant impact on the Chinese political system that places power in the hands of the military. Miao Hua’s position, unlike the nominal position held by Li Shangfu as the Minister of National Defense, involves actual authority over military personnel, thereby affecting Xi Jinping’s Thirty-First Group Army faction, the Navy faction, and a broader range of military leaders.
Miao Hua has long been considered one of Xi Jinping’s trusted confidants. Born in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, Miao had worked in the Nanjing Military Region’s Thirty-First Group Army located in Xiamen, Fujian, since 1983 until 2005. Xi Jinping, on the other hand, served in Fujian from 1985 to 2002, rising from Vice Mayor of Xiamen to Governor of Fujian, during which he had intersecting pathways with Miao regarding personnel matters.
Li Chun mentioned that Miao Hua, a descendant of CCP officials, joined the military at the age of 14, but it was his marriage to a military family that ultimately propelled him to higher positions within the military. His father-in-law, Ye Hanlin, formerly served as Deputy Political Commissar, Political Commissar of the Thirty-First Group Army, and later Deputy Director of the Political Department of the Fuzhou Military Region, responsible for officer promotions. This connection led to Miao Hua becoming the Director of the Political Department of the Thirty-First Army in August 1999.
In July 2005, Miao Hua was appointed as the Political Commissar of the Twelfth Group Army of the PLA.
According to official mainland reports, on the evening of October 24, 2024, retired serviceman and former Deputy Director of the Political Department of the Fuzhou Military Region, Ye Hanlin, passed away in Fuzhou at the age of 101 due to illness.
Miao Hua also had a strong supporter in Chen Bingde, a former military leader of the Twelfth Group Army under the Nanjing Military Region stationed in Xuzhou. Chen Bingde later rose to become the Chief of the General Staff. It is said that after Miao Hua was transferred to be the Political Commissar of the Twelfth Army, he developed a relationship with the “old leader” Chen Bingde, both of whom hailed from Nantong. Their hometown connection in the military played a significant role in Miao Hua rising to a key position in a major military region.
Public records show that from August 1985 to June 1990, Chen Bingde served as the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Twelfth Group Army, later becoming the Army Commander. He went on to hold positions such as Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Nanjing Military Region, Commander and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Nanjing Military Region, Commander and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Jinan Military Region from December 1999 to September 2004, and in September 2004, he entered the Central Military Commission, serving as Minister of the Equipment Development Department and Secretary of the Party Committee. From 2007 onwards, he was a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the General Staff, stepping down in 2013.
In December 2010, Miao Hua was promoted from the Political Commissar of the Twelfth Army to the Director of the Political Department of the Lanzhou Military Region. He later served as the Deputy Political Commissar and Discipline Inspection Secretary of the Lanzhou Military Region in July 2012, and was appointed as the Political Commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region in June 2014.
Li Chun’s article noted that for Miao Hua to further advance in his career, he would need the backing of the Chairman of the Military Commission, namely Xi Jinping.
After Xi Jinping came to power at the 18th National Congress of the CCP, Miao Hua’s career accelerated, transitioning from the Army to the Navy as the Political Commissar. In July 2015, he was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral in the Navy (holding a major position in a large military region for less than two years and achieving the rank of Rear Admiral in less than four years), displaying an unusual promotion indicative of Xi’s trust in him. Miao Hua assumed the role of the Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission in 2017 and was reappointed as a member of the Military Commission in 2022.
As for the reasons behind Miao Hua’s downfall, there are speculations ranging from involvement in factional struggles to corrupt practices of selling positions. According to inside sources from Miao Hua’s former comrades in the military, the issue that led to his downfall was his misconduct in “livelihood styles,” particularly due to his oversight of many military song and dance troupes, which caused problems. Xi Jinping’s wife, Peng Liyuan, who previously served as the Dean of the CCP Military Academy of Arts, particularly detested this aspect.
The CCP’s original Song and Dance Troupe under the General Political Department was renamed the Song and Dance Troupe of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission during the military reform in 2016. In April 2018, the original song and dance troupes, drama troupe, and opera troupe of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission were merged to form the CCP Military Arts and Cultural Troupe. Over decades, the CCP military song and dance troupes or cultural troupes have been plagued by scandals of debauchery.
Wu Sezhi, a consulting member of a Taiwan think tank and director of the China Issues Research Center, stated in an article on the Taiwan Central Broadcasting Corporation website on December 8th that based on the numerous cases of high-ranking officials being relieved of their duties and expelled from the party in recent years, the political situation leading up to the 20th National Congress of the CCP is filled with uncertainty. The internal power struggles within the CCP seem to be escalating, despite Xi Jinping leading the Central Military Commission members on an inspection tour of the information support forces. Miao Hua’s downfall signifies that Xi Jinping faces uncertainties in fully controlling the military, adding variables as the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th National Congress approaches, indicating a likely intensification of internal struggles within the CCP.
Wu Sezhi highlighted that there are rumors suggesting Xi Jinping was deeply angered by Miao Hua’s downfall, whether due to serious violations of discipline and law on Miao’s part or because his own allies were being eliminated by others. This signifies issues between Xi Jinping and the military. If Xi Jinping directed the cleanup, he may face criticisms of “improper personnel decisions”; if he did not give the order himself, it suggests a weakening of his influence within the military, potentially leading to a situation where “Xi is unable to command the military,” resulting in the “military directing the party.” As Xi’s associates continue to face consequences, it could exacerbate mistrust within the party, government, and military.
The article concludes that the political situation leading up to the 20th National Congress of the CCP is tumultuous, with Xi Jinping needing to suppress opposing forces while being cautious of his own allies. This lack of confidence is not limited to the military but extends across various systems, making Xi Jinping uneasy. Starting in 2025, there are expected to be even more staggering rumors emerging in the political landscape.