【Epoch Times, May 29, 2025】The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping is reportedly losing military power while the authorities have for the first time disclosed the close associate of Xi, Miao Hua, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the CCP and Director of the Political Work Department of the CMC, is “suspected of violating the law.” This elevates the previous characterization of Miao Hua’s alleged “serious violation of discipline” by the official announcement.
According to the latest bulletin released by the CCP National People’s Congress Standing Committee, Miao Hua was suspended last November for allegedly breaching “serious discipline.” In March of this year, he was also dismissed from his position as a representative of the Fourteenth National People’s Congress for “serious violation of discipline and law.”
This marks the first time the authorities have disclosed Miao Hua’s “suspected of violating the law” since last November when the CCP Ministry of National Defense press conference announced Miao Hua’s suspension due to “serious violation of discipline.”
In CCP official terms, violation of discipline by CCP members mainly refers to the infringement of political discipline, work discipline, and personal conduct discipline, usually resulting in internal disciplinary actions within the party. In contrast, a violation of law indicates a more severe issue. Officials characterized as “violating the law” ultimately face imprisonment.
The CCP National People’s Congress Standing Committee had earlier announced on April 30 that Miao Hua was removed from his position as a National People’s Congress representative.
Miao Hua, who is 70 years old this year, is considered a close confidant of the CCP leader Xi Jinping within the military. He had long served in the 31st Group Army of the former Nanjing Military Region. Due to the stationed location of the 31st Group Army in Fujian Province, Miao Hua had overlapping work connections with Xi Jinping, who had served as the First Secretary of the Fuzhou Military Subdistrict Party Committee and the First Political Commissar of the Fujian Provincial Anti-Aircraft Artillery Reserve Brigade during the same period.
After Xi Jinping took office in 2012, Miao Hua’s career quickly ascended. He transitioned from the land forces to the navy, moving from the Lanzhou Military Region to the Political Commissar of the Navy. In 2015, Miao Hua was promoted to the rank of General by Xi Jinping, followed by his appointment as the Director of the Political Work Department of the CCP Central Military Commission in 2017. He was also promoted to become a member of the Central Military Commission, and was re-elected after the 20th CCP National Congress. Miao Hua also served as a member of the 18th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the 19th and 20th Central Committee.
In the past two years, turmoil within the CCP military has continued unabated with rumors of high-ranking officials being investigated. A review by Epoch Times on May 13 found that out of 79 generals promoted since Xi Jinping took office, at least 10 have been publicly detained or removed from office. Additionally, at least 12 have been implicated in rumors of being detained, resulting in a loss of over 20% among those promoted under Xi’s leadership.
Last November, Miao Hua was announced to be suspended for inspection. After the two sessions in March of this year, the Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission, He Weidong, who also originated from the 31st Group Army, was rumored to be arrested and has since been missing.
On April 24, former Chinese media person Zhao Lanjian revealed that the “group politics” case involving Miao Hua and He Weidong was publicly reported throughout the military, leading to an extensive cleansing within the military ranks.
According to Zhao Lanjian’s disclosure on April 17, the CCP Central Military Commission, through a mode of “reading documents directly or having the leadership of the military commission read them,” conveyed a confidential internal document to all officers above the rank of major general (including retirees). The document accused Miao Hua and He Weidong of forming cliques, engaging in political factionalism, and attempting to influence the selection of the military’s personnel for the 21st Congress. They were labeled as “treacherous villains under the guise of loyalty, unforgivable crimes” and investigations were launched against Miao, He, and their clique members. The document spanned two pages, with Miao Hua occupying a page and a half. The tone and wording of the content were exceptionally severe, unprecedented in its intensity.
Many observers online believe that the consecutive troubles faced by Xi Jinping’s military confidants signify Xi has lost control over the military. The Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, currently effectively controls military power and is initiating a purge of Xi’s influence.
Recently, Epoch Times learned from authoritative sources that while Xi Jinping appears to be still in power, the situation is already turning against him. Figures like Wen Jiabao and Zhang Youxia have become crucial factors influencing China’s political landscape.