Glance at China's military shifting dynamics Analysis by CounterPunch

The legacy of a Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s infamous metaphor “power is gained through the barrel of a gun” is brought into sharp focus in CounterPunch's latest analysis as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on China’s military establishment.

The article paints a vivid picture of the current struicture dynamics in the country, highlighting the dramatic fall of Admiral Miao Hua, a top military political officer once tasked with ensuring the ideological loyalty of the armed forces. 

Miao is the eighth member of the Central Military Commission (it only has six members) to be ousted since Xi took power in 2012, which demonstrates the extraordinary scale of the internal shakeup. His removal—confirmed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee—comes as part of a sweeping corruption probe into military procurement that has already seen the downfall of multiple defenсe ministers and rocket force commanders.

The article notes that Xi is getting accustomed to removing senior officers, as the president pushes forward with his campaign against “serious violations of discipline,” a term that has become synonymous with corruption—and political disloyalty—in the Chinese Communist Party’s lexicon.

While these purges project an image of strength and resolve, CounterPunch points to the deeper undercurrents of unease. Xi’s consolidation of power has broken long-standing norms, notably the term-limit precedent set by Deng Xiaoping. His third term, the article contends, is marked by “the building of a cult of personality and stark contradictions.” China’s foreign policy has alienated neighbors, domestic freedoms have eroded, and despite official growth figures, the economy shows troubling signs of stagnation.

As the article starkly warns: “Too many purges can undermine authority and may foster a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude among his rivals. The gun remains firmly in the party’s hand but the ties that bind are fraying.”

By Sabina Mammadli