Today’s Focus: Miao Hua Dismissed from Military Commission; Chief of PLA Navy in Trouble! US Deploys Second Typhoon Missile System in the Philippines, Chinese Ministry of Defense Protests! 600 Soldiers Sent to Russia for Training, Secret Plan Revealed! Chinese Dual Warships Appear in the Western Pacific, Japan on Alert!
Our guests for this episode are: Host Henghe from “Henghe Commentary”; Qin Peng, Current Affairs Commentator and Senior Analyst in Political Economy. Hosts: Jinshi, Fuyao.
Jinshi: In June, the conflict in the Middle East drew the world’s attention, finally calming down after US President Trump ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities. However, many failed to notice that the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carriers “Liaoning” and “Shandong” fleet made a rare appearance in the Western Pacific simultaneously, with state media CCTV emphasizing this as “showing the sword in the Western Pacific,” instantly sparking attention.
Fuyao: Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that since early June, “Liaoning” appeared near the Senkaku Islands, entering Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for the first time. The “Shandong Ship” with four other vessels sailed around the uninhabited atoll of Oki-no-Tori-shima in the Pacific. According to statistics, the takeoff and landing of carrier-based aircraft reached as high as 1,120 times. Japan has dispatched destroyers, including the “Hakuryu” to continue monitoring.
Jinshi: For a while, Chinese warships frequently entered Japan’s EEZ, raising high alert levels among the Japanese. On the 25th, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force conducted the first-ever deployment of the “Type 88 Land-Based Anti-Ship Missile” on its territory.
Qin Peng, what is the intention behind the sudden entry of two Chinese aircraft carriers into the Western Pacific’s “Second Island Chain”?
Henghe, is the projection of Chinese forces within the Second Island Chain really taking shape?
Jinshi: In response to the situation in the Middle East, the US aircraft carrier “Nimitz” had earlier left the South China Sea, undoubtedly prompting China to test the waters.
However, regarding the transit of the Chinese dual aircraft carriers through the Western Pacific, the Japanese government uncommonly released a detailed route map of the Chinese aircraft carriers. Meanwhile, when the US B-2 bombers carried out the mission to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, one group of aircraft flew to the US military base in Guam, explained as a strategy to distract, but some analysts believe it also serves as a warning to China not to act recklessly.
Henghe, connecting Japan and Guam, the “Second Island Chain” poses a nearby threat to China, how should the US-Japan alliance cooperate to contain China’s ambitions?
Jinshi: Today, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China dismissed Miao Hua from his position as a member of the Central Military Commission. Miao Hua was investigated and removed from office last November for serious violations of discipline and law, facing the prospect of imprisonment.
On April 30th this year, the Central Military Commission Political Work Department Congress decided to remove Miao Hua from the 14th National People’s Congress membership.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense website shows that currently, in the list of the Central Military Commission, Miao Hua has been removed, with only Liu Zhenli and Zhang Shengmin remaining as members of the Central Military Commission.
Qin Peng, will 70-year-old Miao Hua face imprisonment?
Fuyao: The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China also announced today the dismissal of 8 officials from their positions as National People’s Congress representatives, including Chief of the Navy Staff Li Hanjun. The announcement did not specify the reasons for Li Hanjun’s dismissal.
Li Hanjun, who held the rank of Rear Admiral, attended public events for the first time as Chief of the Navy Staff just last April, his rapid downfall took many by surprise.
Henghe, based on your observations of the Chinese officialdom, what could be the reason behind the sudden removal of Li Hanjun? As the navy just made a patrol in the Western Pacific, and the Chief of Navy Staff was dismissed, is there any connection?
Fuyao: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently stated that China is a “step-by-step pressing threat.” There are reports that the US is planning to deploy a second set of Typhoon missile systems in the Philippines.
This news has prompted a strong reaction from the Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang, who described it as “inviting a wolf into the room,” warning that this move by the Philippines will “backfire and destroy their own home.”
Qin Peng, to what extent will the second Typhoon missile system enhance the military cooperation capability between the US and the Philippines?
Jinshi: Meanwhile, a source from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Intelligence Directorate revealed that Russia is preparing to train Chinese officers and soldiers starting this year, planning to train 600 Chinese military personnel at Russian military bases.
It is reported that the training targets include tank soldiers, artillery units, military engineers, and anti-aircraft personnel, covering topics on how to counter Western weapons and the experiences gained by Russia when invading Ukraine.
Qin Peng, if such training does take place in the future, what do you think are the experiences gained by Russia in the invasion of Ukraine? Can Chinese officers and soldiers really benefit from it?
Henghe, the combat methods in Russia-Ukraine and Taiwan Strait are fundamentally different, what is the purpose of the secret plan between China and Russia?
Fuyao: Now, let’s turn our attention to a tragic incident that occurred in Beijing. On June 26th, at the entrance of Miyun First Primary School in Miyun District, Beijing, a hit-and-run incident took place. A man driving a car struck a group of primary school students.
Multiple videos taken by witnesses at the scene show that the gray SUV involved had its front wedged into a wall and a large tree, indicating a significant impact. At least 5 children were hit and lying on the ground, some with severe bleeding, while others were covered with clothes.
Jinshi: As of now, the authorities have not reported the casualties of the accident, only stating that a 35-year-old man named Han, driving a minivan, had a collision with pedestrians due to improper operation, and the injured were promptly sent for medical treatment.
An eyewitness told a reporter from “Dajiyuan Times” that they know at least 6 people were killed, with a total of 11 people hit. However, we are unable to independently verify this number.
Regarding the reason behind the driver hitting people, a witness mentioned that the driver was arguing with his wife in the car, resulting in an impulsive act of aggression, essentially seeking revenge on society. Another netizen told the reporter that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, but these claims have not been confirmed by officials.
Fuyao: The only confirmed fact is that post-incident, the authorities made great efforts to block the news, with mainland news websites just briefly quoting official reports, very simplistically. The notification from the Miyun Branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau entirely omitted mentioning that a car had collided with school children, lightly describing it as the driver’s improper operation “colliding with pedestrians.”
On Weibo discussion forums, mainland netizens criticized the handling of such a serious traffic safety incident as downplaying the severity; many questioned if the accident was deliberately caused.
Qin Peng, why did the authorities handle such a vicious hit-and-run incident in such a nonchalant manner?
Is it unusual for an incident like this to happen in Beijing, a highly sensitive area?
Jinshi: It is reported that in December last year, tight security personnel were deployed at the gate of Miyun First Primary School. However, at that time, netizens widely believed it was a formality without any meaning. Unfortunately, this measure failed to prevent the hit-and-run incident that occurred on the 26th.
A netizen named “Qiao Zhifei” on an X platform said, “the real danger is not the knife hidden in the bag but the hatred pressed in the heart; behind the car hitting people, the indiscriminate attacks of innocent people, is a problem with people’s hearts; in a society lacking channels for expression, institutional appeals, psychological guidance, and social support, retaliating against society becomes their only ‘heard’ way.”
Henghe, how do you see the systemic roots of such a malicious incident?
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