Xi Jinping's plan

Although the people are enjoying this blood-sport from the sidelines, they have learned via hard experience never to take anything at face value. They can read between the lines. They know what is really going on.

If they can benefit from this latest purge, all well and good. Otherwise they know that unless the investigators are directed to root out this evil wherever they find it, regardless of politics, then things will stay as they are.

Let's hope that along the way, this latest purge will do some collateral good.

Human rights

So far there is no evidence of an easing of the CCP's social control. Since he came to power, Xi Jinping has shown zero tolerance for dissent. In fact, under his leadership the screws have been tightened.

For example, recently a group of five young ladies were detained for distributing leaflets highlighting the problem of sexual harassment on public transport.

They were not indulging in the type of provocations typical of dissident artist Ai Weiwei. Neither were they high profile intellectuals like Liu Xiaobo, whoselong and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China earned him both a Nobel Prize and a long prison term.

These women are no threat to society – they are just a bunch of unknown citizens performing a public service.

So, why the over-reaction?

Xi Jinping has a problem. He knows that for the nation to prosper (economically and socially) the CCP must voluntarily loosen its grip on power and allow Chinese society to flourish. However, he also knows that the CCP has much to lose if it does so. Hence its efforts to maintain the status quo.

Xi Jinping understands this political dilemma perfectly.

Could it be that he is clamping down on dissent in order to reassure CCP members that their power is secure and that they will have nothing to fear if he introduces gradual change?