Rumours of Xi's fall are wishful thinking

Core principles shaping China's governance and international posture remain firmly rooted in Xi Jinping's ideological and strategic vision.

- B.R. Deepak

Rumors of the imminent or actual political demise of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), President of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMS) by overseas Chinese dissidents, have been simmering in recent times. At the heart of these rumors is Xi's unusual disappearance from public view for nearly two weeks in the month of May. Fingers have been pointed to factional rivalry between the so-called "Princeling" and once formidable "Shanghai" clique represented by Jiang Zemin and his loyalists. Some other signals that fed the rumor mill is that the May Politburo meeting, a routine fixture, did not take place.

In the military realm, Xi's removal of senior generals such as Vice Chairman of the CMC, He Weidong, Admiral Miao Hua, the director of the CMC's political work department, responsible for ideological control and personnel management within the People's Liberation Army (PLA), have dominated the headlines. Some also pitched the Vice Chairman of the CMC, Zhang Youxia, against Xi Jinping and is believed to be purging Xi loyalists. Adding fuel to the fire are whispers of unusual maneuverings by retired Party elders, like Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. Gregory Slayton, a former US diplomat, even wrote an article entitled "Is Chinese President Xi Jinping on his way out?" in the New York Post on 28th June. Michael Flynn, former US National Security Advisor, also took to social media platform X on the 27th and said, "There is a clear power shift occurring in China right now."