Chinese President Xi Jinping used a major speech marking the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday to both tout China's global influence and pledge a stronger armed forces build-up while staying steadfast in an ongoing crackdown on corruption within top military ranks.
Bloomberg concluded of the speech, "Xi Jinping signaled China's ambition to play a more high-profile role, a strategy that involves rallying developing nations as a counterweight to what he views as fading US influence."
This is of course not a 'new' message out of Beijing, but is some renewed messaging at a moment Washington risks getting permanently bogged down in the Middle East after Trump launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran while struggling to extricate itself from the resulting Hormuz crisis. The Iran war remains deeply unpopular especially among BRICS and Global South countries and populations.
The Chinese leader in the fresh comments vowed to "uphold the party’s absolute leadership” over the People's Liberation Army (PLA) while continuing to give it all needed support and advancement in defense technology.
“We must advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces,” Xi told party members. He described that the CCP remains on course to "resolutely wage the critical, protracted, and comprehensive battle against corruption."
Just in the past three years, no less than two defense ministers have been dismissed by Xi, and the once seven-member Central Military Commission - China’s top military body - has been drastically reduced to just Xi and one other general.
Interestingly, in the Beijing speech Xi also made direct reference to the Taiwan crisis.
"Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete unification of the motherland is an unswerving historical mission of our party and the shared aspiration of all Chinese people," he said.
While not specifically naming the United States or anything country, he said that "we oppose interference by external forces."
As for the years-long military purge, a former CIA analyst who follows Chinese elite politics, Christopher K. Johnson, recently told the NY Times of the ongoing purge trend, "This move is unprecedented in the history of the Chinese military and represents the total annihilation of the high command."
The PLA has seen significant internal turmoil, especially since the Communist Party’s 20th Congress in late 2022. Several top military figures - including Defense Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, and CMC Political Work Department head Miao Hua - have disappeared or been removed, and many more followed.