PLA Revolt, Xi's Family Locked Inside Beijing? Xi Rushes to Shanghai, Zeng Qinghong: Where Is Zhang?

More than 80% of military officers sympathize with the purged general. Soldiers are going on strike over unpaid wages. A corps commander has openly admitted he wants to launch an armed uprising. And China's most powerful man, Xi Jinping, has gathered his entire family in Beijing. He sends stand-ins out to test the waters. He surrounds himself with bulletproof shields and electric batons. These are not the signs of a leader firmly in control. They are the signs of someone digging in. Someone who knows that beyond the red walls, public sentiment has already shifted. Let's break it down in today's program. Military unrest. Xi tightens security. The case involving Zhang Youxia continues to give Xi Jinping a real headache. U.S.-based independent commentator Hu Liren, citing sources within the military, says that more than 60% of soldiers and over 80% of officers sympathize with Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. One corps commander facing the risk of a purge reportedly said, I'd like to launch an armed uprising too, but in China, that's harder than reaching the sky. Recently, a video has surfaced pointing to serious instability within the People's Liberation Army, PLA. The footage is said to have been leaked by officers and soldiers stationed in Zhuhai, Tibet. It shows them protesting rampant corruption in the military, as well as the fact that they have gone unpaid for six months. This may also explain why, on February 10th this year, during the little New Year holiday, Xi Jinping broke with years of tradition by not visiting troops in person. Instead, he remained at the Baiyi building in Beijing and delivered his greetings to frontline soldiers via video link. He fears assassination. At the same time, security in Beijing has been tightened to an extreme degree. In one video, teams can be seen carrying briefcases and specialized riot control umbrellas. The function of the briefcases has not been disclosed, but the umbrellas, priced at 120,000 yuan, are designed like shields. Electric currents can be discharged from the ribs to instantly incapacitate anyone nearby. Hidden within the shaft are electric batons for close-range defense, along with tear gas. The handle can conceal a whip-like baton, tear gas, or even a gun barrel. The umbrellas used by security agents are made of Kevlar, offering protection against fire, explosions, bullets, and sharp weapons. Even tourist areas are now heavily patrolled by troops, armored vehicles, and live weapons. Amid such extreme security anxiety, Xi Jinping has taken a striking step, bringing his entire family to Beijing. According to Hu Liren, Xi's mother, who had long been receiving medical care in a hospital in Shenzhen, was recently rushed to Beijing, along with her medical team. Not only his mother, but also his wife, children, and other relatives are reportedly being concentrated in the most tightly secured areas. This sends a very clear signal. Xi Jinping believes that places outside Beijing are no longer safe. He wants his family, within his direct line of sight, inside the core protection zone of the Central Guard Bureau, to prevent them from becoming hostages for the military or political rivals to exploit. Historically, this is extremely rare within the Chinese Communist Party. Normally, leaders' family members living in different regions is meant to signal stability. But consolidating the entire family into a fortress like this suggests preparation for a potential internal conflict or even a coup. An additional telling detail. Although Xi himself does not dare to leave, he still needs to gauge the situation beyond Beijing. Recently, we've seen Kai Qi travel to Shaanxi and Li Qian to Guangxi. According to Hu Liren, this is essentially Xi sending out stand-ins to test the waters, observing whether there are any disturbances in the regions when Politburo Standing Committee members leave Beijing, and whether the military reacts in any way. All of this reflects a deeply reactive position. Even after detaining Jiang Yuxia, Xi Jinping appears to have confined himself within an invisible prison. It has become a contest of will and risk. Jiang Yuxia resisting from behind bars, while Xi Jinping anxiously holds his ground within the red walls. Xi Jinping's surprise Shanghai trip. What's really going on? According to a Xinhua news agency press release on April 30, Xi Jinping traveled to Shanghai to attend a symposium on strengthening basic research. He was accompanied by Kai Qi, with Ding Shueshan presiding over the meeting. What stands out as highly unusual is this. Xi actually left Beijing for Shanghai at a time when the Chinese military, especially the army, has long been described as sharpening its knives toward him. With the case involving Jiang Yuxia still unresolved, commentator Jiang Feng suggests there is only one reason for the trip. Xi went to report back. Party elders, led by Zheng Qingham, had reportedly given him three months to deliver results on the case. Now that the deadline has arrived without resolution, Xi had no choice but to go to Shanghai in person to explain himself directly to Zheng. This time, what Xi fears most is not Zheng asking, Where is the man? But the second question, Who did this? Jiang Feng reveals that insiders have described the process quite clearly. After the incident involving Jiang Yuxia, senior conservative party elders, including Zheng Qingham, Jia Qingwen, and Zhang Dejiang, immediately demanded a meeting with Xi Jinping. This time, he did not refuse, but instead had a message relayed. Jiang Yuxia and Liu Zhenli had seriously violated the responsibility system of the chairman of the Central Military Commission, and were therefore placed under investigation in isolation by the general office. This explanation, however, was unacceptable to the elders. How could a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission be investigated without the chairman speaking personally? When they asked Zhang Shengmin from the military discipline body, he said he knew nothing. When they asked Li Xi from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, he also said no investigation had taken place. It was entirely irregular. They then sought out Cai Qi, but he refused to meet them. Instead, another explanation emerged from the general office, this time changing the story. It claimed that Cai Qi, in his role tied to national security, had received foreign intelligence alleging that Jiang Yuxia had leaked core military secrets abroad. At that point, Zheng Qinghong reportedly began to suspect that Cai Qi might actually be the real brain behind Xi Jinping. In short, Xi Jinping's trip to Shanghai was essentially a face-off with a table of accountability. Where is Jiang Yuxia? Why is Cai Qi the one giving explanations? Who was Wang Xiaohong taking orders from? And does Xi Jinping himself know what's going on? If he knew, then it implies he personally gave the order. If he didn't, it suggests Cai Qi may have sidelined him. For Xi Jinping, either answer is equally bad. Cai Qi Xi Jinping's Greatest Threat According to a recent article by The Economist, among the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee, Cai Qi is nominally ranked fifth, but in reality stands second. That's because he controls the general office of the Central Committee and oversees the deployment of the Central Guard Bureau, which is responsible for Xi Jinping's personal security. In addition, Cai Qi serves as First Secretary of the Secretariat, in charge of implementing leadership decisions and managing the party's day-to-day operations. He is also regarded as the CCP's cyber czar for his control over the propaganda system, including cyberspace regulators. There are even suggestions that his authority extends into the military since the Central Guard Bureau falls under military structures. His power is extraordinarily broad, making him a potentially dangerous figure within Jiangmenhai. This is a direct assessment from the article. It further notes that the scope and depth of Cai Qi's power are extremely rare in the history of the Chinese Communist Party. The article also cites a CIA China analyst named Jonathan. When asked who might take over if Xi Jinping were to suddenly die without a succession plan, he responded that Cai Qi appears to be the most obvious choice, since the number two figure is often the most capable of challenging the top leader. The piece also highlights Cai Qi's growing role in diplomacy, noting that he has been more active than any previous head of the general office. In addition to accompanying Xi in meetings with foreign leaders, he has frequently hosted leaders from countries such as India, Egypt, and Turkey on his own. The author emphasizes that Cai Qi's political power and level of activity are drawing intense attention from the United States and other governments. One example cited is when Donald Trump began his second term and specifically requested to meet Cai Qi as Xi's representative, though Cai did not attend and was replaced by Han Jiang. Senior British officials have also hinted that Cai Qi may have been linked to a suspected espionage case. In other words, his reach extends far. He wields not only immense influence within the party and domestically, but also significant sway internationally. Cai Qi may be the most dangerous figure around Xi Jinping, given his vast power and the limited level of trust between them. According to Tang Jingyan, Wang Xiaohong and Cai Qi are the two most crucial aides within Xi Jinping's Fujian faction. Both are described as extremely ruthless figures, hardline officials, and power brokers who act without restraint. Aside from Xi himself, no one can control them, and even Xi may not fully trust them. For example, during last year's July 7th commemoration, Cai Qi did not accompany Xi Jinping to Shanxi. Instead, he stayed in Beijing and attended the ceremony alongside John Yoshida, a figure widely seen as being in direct opposition to Xi. Given Xi Jinping's deeply suspicious nature, even a detail like this could mark Cai Qi as a two-faced figure, someone neither forgivable nor retainable. For now, however, Xi still needs Cai Qi at this stage, which is why he has not yet turned against him. So on the surface, Xi Jinping and Cai Qi may appear very close right now, constantly seen together wherever they go. But in reality, it's more like huddling together for warmth. The main reason is that anti-Xi factions are actively on the offensive, especially after Xi's sudden move against Jiang Yuxia. In that episode, Cai Qi is widely seen as one of the key masterminds. In other words, as long as Xi Jinping has not fully secured supreme power, while opposition factions are still confronting him and enjoying backing from parts of the military, you'll see Xi and Cai Qi tightly aligned, supporting each other. But once Xi truly consolidates power, gaining the upper hand and defeating all opposing factions, the first thing he will do is arrange for a successor. The reason is his age and health. Having reportedly suffered multiple strokes, he may not have much time. And once succession becomes a priority, the first person Xi would have to deal with is his number one potential threat, Cai Qi, just as the Economist article suggests. So does Xi Jinping truly trust Cai Qi? He didn't fully trust Wang Qishan, who once risked everything to help him rise to power, or Jiang Yuxia, who helped him consolidate it. If even they were not spared, it's even less likely he would trust Cai Qi, whose contributions are seen as comparatively smaller. On the other hand, if the situation goes the opposite way, if Xi Jinping loses the internal power struggle and is pushed into a corner by opposing factions, then to protect himself, he would almost certainly push Cai Qi out to take the fall. That's why it's said Cai Qi cannot detach himself from Xi Jinping, but Xi Jinping can easily detach himself from him. According to Tang Jingyuan, Cai Qi's fate is almost sealed. The article in The Economist reads more like a warning. Why publish such a piece at this particular moment, openly calling Cai Qi the biggest threat? It's hard to say what lies behind it, but both Cai Qi and Wang Xiaohong are facing what looks like an inescapable outcome. Whether Xi Jinping wins or loses, they may have no way out. What do you think about this argument? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for watching, and see you in the next program.