OPINION
The latest rumor is that General Li Qiaoming (pictured right) is likely to succeed Chinese President Xi Jinping as the next president of China (Newsweek). Li was born in 1961 and was promoted to serve as a general—the PLA’s highest rank—in 2019, according to Indian television station OdishaTV. Li is also a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) central committee.
There has been a lack of news from China about new leadership (which usually happens after a coup) but something unusual has happened within the Chinese military during the last three days. There is turbulence within the senior CCP leadership and apparently, the People’s Liberation Army took a stand. They are the final arbiter of who runs China.
President Xi has been planning to receive his nod to serve an unprecedented third term in office next month. He himself has declared himself president-for-life in the past. The party dismantled the constitution’s two-term limit for the presidency. That cleared the way for him to take another five years as general secretary — the title that gives him the most power — at the 20th Party Congress starting Oct. 16. To keep that post beyond 2027, however, he’ll need to keep securing five-year terms, under the current rules.
For now, it’s wait and see. There has been a lot of disruption and cancelation of flights internally in China over the past weeks, culminating in about 60% being canceled this weekend. The same is true of international flights as I type. Some explanation will be forthcoming and the financial markets will likely react. The US stock market has been tracking down. No matter who runs China, the matter is of significant interest.
Given the current US administration, I have no doubt various agencies are busy stirring the pot and are likely to have it all blow up in our faces.
No matter what, China blames the US for everything and the current regime in America blames President Trump. It’s a shell game and there often is no pea.
In this case, the problem is 100% internal and it has been mounting steadily for some time. The Chinese response to the pandemic was awful, the economy in China is faltering, and the public is well aware. It would be cool if US intelligence agencies were that effective but they’re simply not. I don’t know how it will all shake out. China would be better off if they were not determined to be a pariah state, but again, that’s an internal decision that they’re going to make.
Blinken will no doubt be well received by the new government.
They ALL think that Blinkey is an idiot. No matter who takes over, that’s a universal opinion in the Middle Kingdom. Pedo Joe may have been on the payroll, but nobody trusts a traitor, even if he’s betrayed his country for you. It’s just like informers. They are useful while they inform against their own people, but once their use ends, they often end. The now famous Ray Epps (of Queen Creek, Arizona) is a recent example of an FBI stooge who is now disillusioned and reviled. Did he get more silver than Judas? And who would care if Epps went and hanged himself?
“And who would care if Epps went and hanged himself?”
I would! His side of this debacle has to be interesting.
A report on Epps is coming on VM
No Middle Kingdomer trusts any lower kingdomer. There, fixed it for you, kind of. Pedo-Joe is just an especially useless and feckless lower kingdomer.
He’s a “barbarian”
I’ve been hearing that the real brains behind Blinken is Victoria Nuland. She orchestrated the war in Ukraine behind the scenes and was a driving force behind the war in Iraq and other hot spots where regime change was the goal. Blinkey is the toady out in front, like Biden. I could be wrong, though…it happens.
Don’t forget Susan Rice. She’s Barack’s cats paw
LL, thanks for providing the information that you do. The mainstream media is pretty darn quiet about the situation in China.
Newsweek, to their credit, came out on their website and discussed what they heard. There have been a LOT of rumors circulating about a possible coup. This could also be a red herring on the part of the Chicoms (Ministry of Public Security) to see who comes out of the woodwork when a coup is suspected. There is a great deal of dissatisfaction in China at the moment.
Interesting times indeed.
It also looks as if Italy is about to elect a new PM who just might tell Brussels to go get bent. Especially since the head of the EU just essentially threatened them with sanctions if they elect Meloni, who seems to be the overwhelmingly popular choice.
Seems that even some of the other Italian party leaders have said “WTF! Are you threatening us!?” I’m sure that’s going to lead to rainbows and happiness.
And winter is coming.
The EU has been paying member states to stay in line with German money. What happens when the German money stops?
I’d say there’s a real probability that we’re going to find out.
Now is the winter of discontent.
It’s also possible that with Russia declaring that the “war is over” we kept what we stole, that the EU will fold and get the NordStream pipeline going again. (or the Nordstrom pipeline as our favorite press secretary put it)
It looks like the EU may need to spend this winter in discount tents?
Cute.
The leader of the EU….”We have tools at our disposal if you elect the wrong candidate.” Them’s fighting words, hope the Italians have the backbone this time.
When they take all of the biden crime family money , there will be trouble. Pedo pete will come out swinging.
Trump will do that. You know that he will.
Paraphrasing now from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Auntie Entity: For God’s sake, what now?
The Master: Who run Chinatown?
With the forment going on in China now, does that lessen the chance they will invade Formosa?
It depends on who takes over
I fear that it matters not. Internal discontent is so high that whomever is in charge must do something of a ‘short, victorious war’ in order to distract the uppity commoners.
Discontent is so high that the normal gaggle of Red Chinese students that shop together are now coming in by themselves. And the individuals aren’t making much eye contact anymore either. I think this is because no one can trust any other Red Chinese not to be a snitch.
Some, like General Li, are more likely to invade.
Hu Jintao’s name has been tossed around. He’d be a retread. The Chinese people recall his time in office as having been better. Hu and his government were corrupt but played ball with the West. He served as general secretary of the CCP from 2002 to 2012, president of the PRC from 2003 to 2013, and chairman of the Central Military Commission from 2004 to 2012.
Ten years ago. Ancient history since Xi’s rule began when his ended. If Hu took the reigns, he’d have to placate the PLA and the general public. The place is in such a mess that I don’t know if he could pull it off. But he’d be less inclined to invade Formosa/Taiwan/Nationalist China. His relationship with the Kuomintang (KMT) was based on a general understanding. Sort of like a shark and a remora.
This information is NO WHERE else…from your earlier comments to this detailed report. Interesting it is happening now less than 2 months before our Mid-Terms. Is it connected? From my cheap seat I’m starting to understand everything with international arena’s is connected.
I don’t see a causal linkage. This has been building in China for years.
And we don’t understand the specifics of what is unfolding. Does Xi cut a deal and remain in power?
Though even our own news media has been reporting on the recent pushback and dissatisfaction of the Chinese People against Xi’s recent COVID crackdowns.
They’ve brought it up, but not the level of dissatisfaction, which runs deep. China has no friends, no allies, only a few customers they use like whores.
Those of you who follow or wish to follow developments in PR China need to spend some effort to better understand the floating population (liudong renkou). There are roughly 300 million homeless people in China. They are essentially ignored by the Public Security Bureau (Chinese Police). Their numbers grow and they are just one more destabilizing factor.
Claudio and I have been communicating back channel on: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/chinas-zombie-housing-market-could-persist-due-plunging-number-marriages-country
There are a number of things going horribly wrong in China beyond these issues, and trying to get a grip on all of them will lead you to a better understanding of the instability that we see.
I’m hearing they’ve called up ALL the pilots (who are military pilots too)…
I think that’s the reason that so many commercial flights have been canceled. Pilots called up.
That’s efficient. Increase military pilot numbers while also cutting commercial pilot numbers.