CCTV FOLLIES 7.18 CRUSHED BY WANG YI, QIN GANG IS DOWN BUT NOT OUT.
Meanwhile camera-shy Xi Jinping is in the limelight, right, front and center, looking exhausted and none too content. He gets a lot of what he wants but he can't get everything he wants and it shows.
“The plenary session decided to accept Comrade Qin Gang’s resignation application and remove Comrade Qin Gang from his position as member of the Central Committee.”
The announcement above, just one tidbit of reportage in the voluminous, tone-deaf and cliche-ridden findings of the party plenum, must have come with a measure of discomfort for Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who gained unprecedented control of China’s foreign policy after conspiring to destroy the career of charismatic subordinate Qin Gang. He now has to wonder if Qin Gang can stage a comeback.
Qin was a flashy, friendly and photogenic Wang Yi subordinate, who, by a twist of fate, (his sudden elevation with an assist from Xi and his subsequent forced disappearance by the powers-that-be in the party) was both successor and predecessor to Wang Yi as Foreign Minister.
Qin Gang was “disappeared” with prejudice in June of last year and the party responsible for disappearing him has yet to offer photographic “proof of life” or any explanation for what happened. Nor has there been a single word from Qin smuggled out since things went south. However, punishments work in weird ways in China and the possibility of Qin being in prison is about is not much higher than the chance he’s luxuriating in a remote villa under rules that allow no contact with the outside world.
It’s possible he’s being kept on ice in case his skill set (and factional strengths) should come in useful to Xi, or other patrons, in the future.
Other powerful men who invoked Xi’s displeasure were not as lucky.
“The plenary session reviewed and passed the inspection report of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China on the serious violations of discipline and law by Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming, and confirmed the previous decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to expel Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming from the Party.”
What’s interesting is that other disgraced ministers were formally expelled from the party at the plenum, while Qin Gang got a reprieve of sorts. He is said to have resigned from the politburo, (voluntarily of course) but he is still referred to as “comrade” which means he has kept his party membership, which would not be the case if his alleged crimes were serious. Even if his “crimes” were serious, having a powerful patron is almost as good as being forgiven.
Stranger things have happened, as amply demonstrated in the up and down careers of Mao, Deng Xiaoping and Xi’s own father, Xi Zhongxun.
A Qin comeback is an obscure possibility but not out of the question. And even if he’s been treated badly, it doesn’t make him a dissident. Despite a certain suave charm, he was a wolf warrior, and as his only way out now is to howl more loudly, to be redder than red and ten times more loyal to his patron than before.
This is good news in the sense that serious questions raised about Qin’s well-being, if not his very life, have been partially answered with the simple supposition that he must still be alive and kicking if the party still considers him a comrade.
The fate of his alleged paramour, Fu Xiaotian, and their alleged love-child, Er-Kin, is not known and beyond the remit of the plenum to address publicly.
For more info on Qin’s disappearance, and the rumors that abounded in the absence of any actual news, you may consult this post from last July.
Speaking of disappearances, some voluntary, some forced, others just whimsical and random, Xi Jinping is back in a big way after two days of re-runs.
Xi, the first among equals with no close second, is the focus of plenum coverage. His influence is immense, but so too, is his ego. He doesn’t look like a man who got what he wanted out of the plenum (there was much speculation he would elevate his wife Peng Liyuan to the highest levels of government and that, among other things, didn’t happen.) And he’s had to water down his bombastic, pseudo-Marxist, Yenan-style social justice campaign in the face of headwinds from the market and business interests at home and abroad.
Rumors to the effect that Xi fell ill during the summit appear to have been unfounded, but he’s not looking that great, either. Perhaps a combination of sheer exhaustion and a frustrated peevishness about not getting his way have contributed to a demeanor even more dour than usual.
Xi’s loyal lieutenants on the standing committee are not exactly happy campers either.
This is the kind of word salad the big boys spent the last few days whipping up:
“The plenary session emphasized that to further comprehensively deepen reform, we must adhere to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of "Three Represents" and the Scientific Outlook on Development, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of new ideas, new viewpoints and new propositions on comprehensively deepening reform, fully, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development concept, adhere to the general working guideline of seeking progress while maintaining stability, persist in emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, keeping pace with the times, and being realistic and pragmatic, further liberate and develop social productive forces, stimulate and enhance social vitality, coordinate the domestic and international situations, coordinate the promotion of the "five in one" overall layout, coordinate the promotion of the "four comprehensive" strategic layout, take economic system reform as the driving force, take promoting social fairness and justice and improving people's well-being as the starting point and end point, pay more attention to system integration, pay more attention to highlighting key points, pay more attention to the actual results of reform, promote better adaptation between production relations and productive forces, superstructure and economic base, national governance and social development, and provide strong impetus and institutional guarantee for Chinese-style modernization.”
After going through dozens and dozens of photos celebrating the successful plenum, one is hard pressed to find a happy face, or even a rest face with a hint of contentment.
A rare smile, or semi-smile.
The plenary session called on the entire Party, the entire army and people of all ethnic groups across the country to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, hold high the banner of reform and opening up, unite their hearts and minds, and forge ahead, to build a modern socialist country in an all-round way, achieve the second centenary goal, and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization!
Finally someone with some spirit comes on the air, but clear enunciation and feigned enthusiasm for party news is central to Li Zimeng’s job as anchor.
“Hold high the banner of reform and opening up and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization”
“Study and implement spirit of Third Plenary Session of 20th Central Committee”
Coverage of the plenum gives way to a fairly standard canned tribute to the almighty Xi Jinping as paramount leader, introduced by majestic images befitting his majesty.
“At the new starting point, the whole party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups in the country should unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, hold high the banner of reform and opening up, and strive to build a modern socialist country in an all-round way, achieve the second centenary goal, and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization.”
Etc, etc, etc.