Politics Watch: Decoding the Convening of Enlarged Military Meetings
◎ Xi is likely seeking to strengthen his control over the military in a crucial period.
MILITARY
Geopolitics Watch: PRC ‘Taiwan Invasion’ Propaganda Backfires
◎ China could see its international standing diminish as America and Taiwan draw closer and take firmer action to counter the CCP’s Taiwan strategy.
Continued Scrubbing of Political Work Dept Hints at Instability in the PLA
◎ Xi’s authority over the military is not stable.
The Deeper Implications of China’s Armed Police Reform
◎ The People’s Armed Police reforms lack the flash of Xi’s more eye-catching moves to consolidate control.
Politics Watch: Decoding the PLA’s Endorsement of Constitutional Changes
◎ The Xi Jinping administration is mustering public opinion to pressure Chinese officials into supporting the constitutional changes.
Military Watch: China’s Central Theater Command Gets a New Deputy Commander
◎ The appointment of Zhang Xudong and Yi Xiaoguang as deputy and commander of the CTC is revealing of Xi’s handling of military personnel reshuffling.
Military Watch: Xi Promotes Five ‘New Guard’ Generals
◎ Xi needs to groom a new military leadership core to safeguard against a possible coup attempt.
Prosecution of Fang Fenghui Confirms Our Coup Analysis
◎ In light of Fang’s investigation being made official on Jan. 9, we have made our full report available.
General Fang Fenghui is Officially Purged
◎ We wrote in September 2017 that Fang Fenghui might be involved in a failed coup against the Xi Jinping leadership.
Troop Reform Nearly Complete as Senior Commanders of Provincial Military Districts Join Regional Party Committees
◎ Although the broader military structural reforms are done, the Xi administration will likely continue to reshuffle the senior military leadership frequently.