Xi's Three Military Gatekeepers Are Gone Who Controls the PLA Now?

Now, the Fifth Plenum formally confirmed the expulsions of 16 senior military officials, including Zhang Youxia. But his name was not surprising. What caught people's attention was not Zhang Youxia, but two other names. There were two of Xi Jinping's former aides in the military. In fact, the three men who successively played the role of his military chief of staff have all been taken down. So yes, so Xi Jinping's three military gatekeepers are all gone. So let's start with the first man. Okay, Qin Zhengxiang. Qin became director of the Central Military Commission's general office in October 2012. Just right before Xi Jinping officially took over as the military leader or the CMC chairman. And in August 2017, he was transferred to become political commissar of the PLA Navy. And more than eight months ago, on February the 26th, his membership in the National People's Congress was terminated or was revoked. So that means he's in trouble. Now, the second name is Zhong Shaojun. You have heard this name many times before. Because of the three men, Zhong had by far the closest personal relationship with Xi Jinping. He had worked for Xi Jinping for over 20 years. Um, some, Actually, 24 years. Back in 2002, when Xi Jinping moved to Zhejiang province, yeah, Zhong became his secretary. Zhong has a degree in psychology. Um Yeah. And he followed Xi Jinping from Zhejiang to Shanghai very and then from Shanghai to Beijing and eventually into the CMC. Now, he wasn't just handling official business. much. According to some accounts, he even helped manage Xi Jinping's personal and family affairs, including arrangements involving Xi Jinping's daughter. And in 2017, he became the director of the CMC's general office. Despite the fact that he had never worn the uniform and precisely because of his lack of experience in military affairs. Well, actually, he was not only the director of the CMC general office, he also oversaw military reforms for Xi Jinping. And so he reportedly clashed with Zhang Youxia because, I mean. The man oversees the CMC general office and the military reforms did not have any military experience. And in 2024, Zhong was transferred to the National Defense University as political commissar. Now, Zhang Youxia was widely believed to be the one behind Zhong's removal from the CMC general office. And then now, last month, at the Fifth Plenum. Zhong Shaojun was expelled from the Communist Party. Now, the third man, Zhang Youxia, we have not mentioned him much because he was put into the position in 2024 after Zhong Shaojun moved to the Defense University. Now, this man was affiliated with another Xi Jinping loyalist, Miao Hua. He had previously served in the CMC political work department under Miao Hua. So when Miao Hua was removed last year, or actually it was in 2024, Fang is out. He is a Miao Hua affiliate. And then at the fifth plenum, his expulsion from the party was also confirmed. So there you have it. Three consecutive directors of the CMC general office. All three are out. All three have suffered serious political setbacks. What do you make of that? Is Xi Jinping turning the knife inward, purging anyone around him whom he considers corrupt or disloyal? Or are Xi Jinping's closest political loyalists being systematically removed by forces beyond Xi's control? I believe the second explanation is more realistic. I've never been convinced by the argument that Xi Jinping still holds absolute power and is simply eliminating his own hand-picked generals because he has suddenly developed An overwhelming hatred of corruption. If that's really what's happening, then Xi Jinping's judgment has deteriorated to an extraordinary degree. His suspicion of those around him would have become so consuming that he's destroying the PLA's command system. But I think the situation is not that simple. The successive downfalls of these three men tell us something important. Xi Jinping's personal power network inside the military has suffered a devastating blow. Why? Well, to understand that, we need to look at what the director of the CMC general office actually does. The general office is one of the most important administrative organs of the Central Military Commission. Official documents, requests for instructions, and reports intended for the chairman pass through this channel. Decisions and orders issued by the chairman also depend on this office for their transmission and implementation. So the general office handles coordination, meetings, documents, circulation, confidentiality, and other sensitive administrative responsibilities. All of these. Now think about the position of its director. Who gets access to the chairman? Which reports reach his desk? Which issues receive immediate attention? How are instructions communicated to the rest of the military leadership? The director may not personally control every one of those decisions, but he occupies a position. I mean, he is basically considered Xi Jinping's military gatekeeper. It's part of the nervous system of China's military command. So historically, when the secretaries... And trusted aides of a senior Communist Party leader are removed. There are usually two explanations. Either the leader himself has decided to replace them, or the leader is gone. And his associates are being removed along with him. But Xi Jinping represents a third, a very unusual possibility. He is still in office. He's still the party's general secretary and chairman of the CMC. Yet all three men who successively managed his military office have fallen. I mean, they're not just like retired or, you know, move on to other positions. They're being kicked out of the party. And that's a major humiliation, political humiliation. So that raised two fundamental questions. First, can Xi Jinping still protect the people closest to him? Consider Zhong Shaojun, the man who followed Xi Jinping all the way from Zhejiang to Zhongnanhai and served him for over 20 years. If Xi Jinping couldn't protect someone like him, then who among his loyalists could he still protect? And the second, what has happened to Xi Jinping's channels of information and command? When the director of the CMC's office is replaced, the administrative network around that position can also change. Who handles reports? Who coordinates instructions? Who manages the flow of sensitive information? These are minor bureaucratic details. They're directly connected to the exercise of power. And that brings us back to the argument that Xi Jinping is simply cleaning house himself. I find that explanation increasingly difficult to accept. Any leader who purges his own people must still preserve a functioning network of trusted subordinates. Removing one or two senior aides might be understandable. I shouldn't say removing. In this case, punishing. Punishing one or two senior aides may be understandable, but all three successive military gatekeepers While 80 percent, 88 percent of his top military leaders are wiped out, something much bigger must be happening here. So my interpretation is that Xi Jinping's personal network inside the PLA has been severely weakened. And the question becomes, can he still command the military system? Those loyalists once helped him run. Thank you so much for watching. If you're new here, please hit subscribe. Don't forget to give my video a like. If you want me to answer your questions directly, please join my live every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. I'd love to chat with you there.