Recently in the early hours of the morning, several Beijing residents witnessed and filmed multiple suspected military tanks appearing on the streets of Chang’an Avenue. These tanks were intentionally covered with metal sheets, disguised as “road inspection vehicles” and other construction vehicle styles, moving along the main road. The related videos quickly spread widely on social media, sparking speculation and discussions among the public about whether something significant is happening in Beijing.
Videos circulating on social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu in mainland China show a fleet of military tanks appearing on Chang’an Avenue on the night of July 9, causing a stir among many internet users.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has announced that a military parade will be held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on September 3. Some netizens speculated that the nighttime mobilization of the tanks could be a rehearsal for the military parade. This may be the first time the new type of tanks from the CCP has entered Beijing, with the disguise being carried out to prevent premature leaks of information.
However, with nearly two months remaining until the military parade on September 3, the early appearance of such a large-scale heavy equipment in the city has also led some netizens to question whether it is merely a “parade rehearsal.” The intricate camouflage seems unusually elaborate.
In conjunction with the tank movements, overseas social media networks have been rife with unconfirmed rumors regarding the health of former CCP leader Hu Jintao, including statements such as “Hu Jintao is critically ill, his daughter-in-law and grandson have rushed from Shanghai to Beijing,” “Hu Jintao is on his deathbed, his family has gone to Beijing 301 Hospital,” and “Hu Haifeng goes to work during the day and immediately goes to the hospital to take care of his father,” sparking widespread attention in public discourse.
These rumors, along with the presence of “tanks” on the streets of Beijing, have intensified speculations from external sources about major events within the top ranks of the CCP. Blogger “Insider” speculated in an analysis that there could be a life-and-death struggle among CCP top officials, and that power struggles often rely on military judgment, which appears to be no exception in this case.
“Insider” suggested that with Hu Jintao’s critical condition, the CCP might be concerned about the unstable situation in Beijing and urgently mobilizing field troops and heavy equipment to the capital in an attempt to deter various opposition forces within the CCP from making rash actions.
CCP state media openly reported that Xi Jinping conducted an inspection in Shanxi from July 7 to 8. Since then, Xi has not made any public appearances. According to reports from CCP-controlled media outlets, from July 9 onwards, Xi Jinping’s public activities have been limited to written or ceremonial activities such as appointing ambassadors to foreign countries, replying to letters from film artists, or sending congratulatory messages to foreign heads of state, with no further reports of on-site inspections or important public meetings. In this sensitive moment, Xi’s prolonged absence from public view has fueled speculations about his political dynamics.