Xi: Red Genes, Core Leader. President of Everything

[Greg.D.]

So, they say this guy is the strongest strongman in China since Deng Xiaopeng (90's). He has consolidated so many positions his anti-corruption campaign has replaced various powerful and popular people with loyalists.

 

The pundits seem to have their sources and suggest that Xi isn't unanimously popular with the upper level bureaucrats, and walks a very risky line, sleeps with one eye open, etc.

 

China Shows Off Military Might, and Xi Jinping Puts Rivals on Notice

 

 

BEIJING — China’s president, Xi Jinping, has opened a public campaign to deepen his grip on power in a coming leadership shake-up, using a huge military parade on Sunday, speeches and propaganda, along with a purge in the past week, to warn officials to back him as the nation’s most powerful leader in two decades.

 

“Troops across the entire military, you must be unwavering in upholding the bedrock principle of absolute party leadership of the military,” Mr. Xi said at the parade, held on a dusty training base in Inner Mongolia region, 270 miles northwest of Beijing. “Always obey and follow the party. Go and fight wherever the party points.”

The ceremony was broadcast across the country.

Officially, the display was to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the creation of the People’s Liberation Army. But it was also the highlight of a week of political theater promoting Mr. Xi as a uniquely qualified politician whose elevated status as China’s “core” leader, endorsed by officials last year, should be entrenched at the party congress.

“These military parades could become a regular, institutionalized thing, but this one also has a special meaning this year,” said Deng Yuwen, a former editor at a party newspaper in Beijing who writes current affairs commentaries. “It’s meant to show that Xi Jinping firmly has the military in his grip, and nobody should have any illusions of challenging him.”

[Randy W]

This article is from the NY Times - China Shows Off Military Might, and Xi Jinping Puts Rivals on Notice - your link just points back to this topic.

 

This sounds like just business as usual for both China's leadership and the President in particular. China's President is not the Commander in Chief, so consolidation of that power is an ongoing effort.

 

In the Global Times - A firm leader crucial for nation’s strength

 

China must not be spineless or reckless. It needs to be steadfast and level-headed. As China progressed and matured in the past years, Xi became the core of the CPC Central Committee and the leader of the PLA and the Chinese people. Great times and leaders are mutually shaped.

The CPC undertakes noble responsibilities to ensure China's peace and development, and enable people to realize their dreams. The ambitious responsibilities will be better identified when viewed in a historical context.

The CPC, Chinese government and the military should take on their responsibilities. National cohesion is critical for the people's wellbeing and country's competitiveness, yet opposing voices often find favor in diverse public opinions. Hence, having a firm leader is crucial for a power's comprehensive national strength.

 

While leaders of other countries do everything to look witty and eloquent in front of the camera, a Chinese leader is devoted to real work. It's clear who knows his country, unites the people and inspires the military.

 

 

[Randy W]

from Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army

 

 

The PLA will on 1 August 2017 mark its 90th year anniversary, before the big anniversary it mounted it's biggest parade yet and the first outside of Beijing, held in the Zhurihe training range in the Central Theater Command (within the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), the first time it had ever been done to mark PLA Day as past parades had already been on 1 October, National Day of the PRC.

 

[Randy W]

http://en.people.cn/img/FOREIGN/2015/03/212677/images/logo.jpg - China Focus: Xi reviews parade in field for first time

 

http://en.people.cn/NMediaFile/2017/0731/FOREIGN201707310810000203514813466.jpg

 

More than 12,000 service personnel from the army, navy, air force, armed police as well as the newly formed rocket force and strategic support troops, took part in the parade at Zhurihe military training base.

China needs to build strong armed forces more than any other time in history as the Chinese nation is closer to the goal of great rejuvenation than ever, Xi said, delivering a speech after overseeing the parade.

"The PLA has the confidence and capability to defeat all invading enemies and safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and development interests," said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Xi, who was endorsed as the core of the CPC Central Committee in 2016, called on the PLA to stay loyal to the Party, boost combat capability and continue to serve the people.

Observers said the parade had more of a combat feel as soldiers appeared as if they were gripped by the heat of battle.

"Here, the soldiers have the stares that kill," said Wang Ruicheng, deputy head of the general office of the parade headquarters.

Late leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping also inspected troops in the field at key moments in history.

It is the first time for Xi to oversee such a large parade at a military base, and the first time for China to commemorate Army Day with a military parade since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

. . .

Xi said that enjoying peace is a bliss for the people, while protecting peace is the responsibility of the people's army.

"The world is not all at peace, and peace must be safeguarded," Xi said.

 

 

[Randy W]

China these days seems more interested in shoring up their domestic "harmony" than their international image - in the SCMP

 

CHINA’S GRAND MILITARY DISPLAY SIGNALS XI IS HERE TO STAY

The president is using the methods of some of Beijing’s greatest rulers, including a show of military force, to fortify his position as absolute ruler ahead of a crucial Communist Party conclave

 

But the more important message from the high-profile activities was meant for a domestic audience. Extensive footage of the events by the state broadcaster CCTV was part of a well-calculated propaganda campaign to promote president and party chief Xi Jinping’s ( 習近平 ) image a few months before a crucial party conclave. The twice-a-decade congress in autumn will see a major reshuffle of leadership and cement Xi’s status.The son of a revolutionary is seeking to emulate the power of late leaders Mao Zedong ( 毛澤東 ) and Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平), who founded the republic after winning a civil war.

 

. . .

 

He has amassed power by mirroring the tactics of his revolutionary predecessors. Believing Mao’s famous dogma that political power comes from the barrel of a gun, Xi signalled that he, too, was counting on the military – and also party watchdogs, security and police forces – to stay staunchly loyal while he seeks to consolidate power at the upcoming 19th party congress. Since he came to office, Xi has rooted out dozens of top-ranking generals through an anti-graft campaign and placed trusted officers in command. He instituted a radical restructure of the armed forces to sideline disloyal officers.

 

 

 

Cary Huang, a senior writer with the South China Morning Post, has been a China affairs columnist since the 1990s

 

[Randy W]

. . . . and this year, from China Daily on Facebook

 

https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/photos/a.195840701290/10158705961766291/?type=3

 

August 1 is China's Army Day. Read President Xi Jinping's words about the people's armed forces from the third volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China". (1/3) #XiJinping #XiSays

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/photos/a.195840701290/10158705961766291/?type=3

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/photos/a.195840701290/10158707212771291/?type=3

 

August 1 is China's Army Day. Read President Xi Jinping's words about the people's armed forces from the third volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China". (2/3) #XiJinping #XiSays

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/photos/a.195840701290/10158707212771291/?type=3

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/photos/a.195840701290/10158708871981291/?type=3

 

August 1 is China's Army Day. Read President Xi Jinping's words about the people's armed forces from the third volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China". (3/3) #XiJinping #XiSays

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/chinadaily/photos/a.195840701290/10158708871981291/?type=3

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/191347651290/posts/10158706829391291/