Published January 16, 2024
- Fears have grown in recent years that China could invade Taiwan
- However, China has also been involved in other low-level clashes with its neighbours, including the Philippines and India
The Chinese leader, seen by many as a dictator, is ‘trying to gain control of the military,’ Gordon Chang told Business Insider, adding: ‘I think that he is thinking that he needs officers who are prepared to actually fight.’
According to Chang, author of ‘China Is Going to War’, Xi feels ‘that many of China’s general officers don’t want to fight.’ As a result, he said, the Chinese premier sees ‘a force led by an officer corps that is ambivalent about going to war.’
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory, and fears have grown in recent years that Xi is planning an invasion in the coming years, in the face of increasingly hostile rhetoric and simulated blockades of the island.
Beijing has never renounced the use of force to take what it views as a renegade province, and Xi has said that unification is inevitable.
But Beijing has also been involved in low-level clashes with India along their shared border, as well as disputes over nearby islands with Japan and the Philippines.
Since taking power in 2012, he has overhauled Beijing’s military forces with a series of reforms while also cutting its personnel, working to improve military-civilian corporation and reshaping its structure.
On December 29, 2023, he dismissed nine senior offices in one go, a move that analysts and US intelligence suggested was to root out corruption.
Chang, however, told Business Insider that this theory misses the point ‘because if that were the case, all of them would be sacked.’ Instead, he believes that it was likely the officers who were struck off were reluctant to go to war.
He pointed to one example, that of Chinese Air Force General Liu Yazhou, who warned against an invasion of Taiwan.
In February 2022 he received a suspended death sentence.
Joel Wuthnow, another expert on China, told Business Insider that the removals suggest Xi is ‘concerned ‘about the quality of people and equipment he has invested in over the last decade’ and that he fears he cannot rely on his military.
The publication reported that the nine dismissed commanders had been involved in China’s Rocket Force, which Wuthnow said would play a critical role in any military campaign ordered by Beijing.
China has been hostile to its neighbours in recent years.
It has become increasingly aggressive in the South China Sea, with its navy often coming into close contact with Filipino vessels.
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SOURCE: www.dailymail.co.uk
RELATED: China’s military purge sparks concerns of escalating tensions towards World War III
Published January 16, 2024
Xi Jinping, often regarded as a dictator, aims to solidify control over the military, asserting that he needs officers prepared for actual combat. Experts believe that many existing Chinese generals may be reluctant to engage in war
In a strategic move, Chinese President Xi Jinping is restructuring the country’s military, replacing generals who may be hesitant about engaging in warfare, raising fears of a possible invasion of Taiwan. Military analysts suggest that this shift could draw the United States into a potential global conflict.
Xi Jinping, often regarded as a dictator, aims to solidify control over the military, asserting that he needs officers prepared for actual combat. Experts believe that many existing Chinese generals may be reluctant to engage in war, leading to concerns about a military force with mixed sentiments regarding conflict.
The focus on Taiwan intensifies as China claims the self-ruled island as its territory. Heightened tensions include hostile rhetoric, simulated blockades, and increased military activity. Despite Xi Jinping’s assertion of unification inevitability, doubts persist about the willingness of the current officer corps to support an invasion.
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SOURCE: www.firstpost.com
RELATED: Xi Jinping sparks mutiny from within own military as WW3 fears erupt over Taiwan invasion
Some experts are worried by Xi’s increasing warlike rhetoric, while others say he may be exercising caution following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Published January 15, 2024
Chinese President Xi Jinping is locked in a power struggle with his own military, as he seeks to purge commanders he perceives as unwilling or unprepared for war, according to military analysts.
The ongoing tension reflects Xi’s efforts to assert control over the military and ensure its readiness for potential conflicts.
Since assuming power in 2012, Xi has implemented extensive military reforms, including personnel reductions, enhanced military-civilian cooperation, and structural reshaping.
The latest development occurred on December 29, 2023, when Xi dismissed nine senior officers, triggering speculation about the reasons behind the abrupt decision.
While corruption is often cited as a motive for such dismissals, Gordon Chang, a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute, told Business Insider that Xi’s primary focus is on removing officers who are hesitant about going to war.
Chang points to instances like the suspension of Chinese Air Force General Liu Yazhou, who cautioned against a Taiwan invasion and received a suspended death sentence in 2022.
Joel Wuthnow, a senior research fellow at the National Defense University, told Business Insider that the removal of senior commanders aligns with Xi’s concerns about the quality of personnel and equipment developed over the past decade. The dismissed officers were part of China’s Rocket Force, a crucial component in potential military campaigns.
