Will the Xi Jinping era come to a quiet end?

It is precisely this sense of existential threat that compelled non-Xi-aligned forces within the military to close ranks into a collective. For them, only by working to alter a one-man dictatorship could the survival of the group be secured. Under such circumstances, invoking "democratic centralism," emphasizing Party principles, and seizing the moral high ground became an obvious course of action. These political ideas also align with those Liu Yuan had embraced in his youth. Therefore, both from a public and personal standpoint, Liu Yuan would naturally leverage his connections within the military and among Party elders to strongly support Zhang Youxia.

Thus, bringing the Xi era to an end has become a consensus among influential forces in the military - a goal that can only succeed, not fail.

Ending the Xi era, therefore, has also become a consensus of the entire nation and, indeed, of the whole Party. Xi has not only damaged the interests of the state and the people but has also endangered the political security of the ruling Party itself.

The political struggle is still intensely underway

Why do we say the political struggle is still unfolding with intensity?

We can observe and analyze the latest developments through publicly available reports. At the August 1st Army Day banquet, neither Xi Jinping nor Zhang Youxia was present, and several senior generals who should have attended were also absent (analysts noted that most of those missing were pro-Xi officers). Who, then, arranged the seating for this banquet? It can be said with certainty that it was not Xi's military secretariat.

In the main hall, five large round tables were placed in the front, with smaller tables behind them. The expansion of the front-row round tables was significant, as different seats represent different political rankings. Particularly noteworthy was the presence of three retired generals seated at one of these front tables: Liu Yuan (son of the late former CCP Chairman Liu Shaoqi), Wang Guanzhong (who served as director of the CMC General Office during Hu Jintao's era), and Cai Yingting (a former deputy chief of the PLA General Staff). The gathering of military figures from different factions at such a symbolic juncture carries profound political significance.

A week later, the PLA Daily published a commentary column:

On August 8, 2025, an article by Ma Sibo titled "With a Heart of Shame, Strive for a State of No Shame" appeared. The piece quoted the classics of the ancient sages and then admonished Party cadres:

Mencius said: "The sense of shame is the beginning of righteousness," and "One who has no sense of shame is not truly human."

For Party members and cadres, knowing shame in conduct and dealings preserves dignity; knowing shame in officialdom preserves integrity. 'To be worthy of the Party above and the people below' is the realm that Party members and cadres should strive for. 'Do not demand perfection from others, but always examine yourself as if falling short.' Every Party member and cadre should carry a sense of shame-constantly reflecting on the harm of greed, constantly discarding improper desires, and constantly cultivating the virtue of governance.

The timing of this commentary makes its target clear: even the CCP's top leader, as a Party cadre, should possess a sense of shame - he should not endlessly cling to personalist dictatorship. Greed harms not only the individual but also the state and the people.

This directly echoes the PLA Daily's series of essays from last year calling for collective leadership, intra-Party democracy, and adherence to Party principles - forming a coherent political message.

Four days after this article appeared, People's Daily published two important pieces - a news report and a major commentary. The front-page report announced that the CCP Central Committee had issued the Regulations on the Work of the Party School (National Academy of Governance). It emphasized adherence to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the "Three Represents," and the Scientific Outlook on Development, while also insisting on fully implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The report underscored the decisive significance of the "Two Establishes," the need to strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses," fortify the "Four Confidences," and achieve the "Two Upholds." (People's Daily, August 12, 2025, front page.)