China's Massive Military Parade Was President Xi's Way Of Putting His Rivals On Notice


New York Times: China Shows Off Military Might, and Xi Jinping Puts Rivals on Notice

BEIJING — China’s president, Xi Jinping, has opened a public campaign to deepen his grip on power in a coming leadership shake-up, using a huge military parade on Sunday, speeches and propaganda, along with a purge in the past week, to warn officials to back him as the nation’s most powerful leader in two decades.

Wearing his mottled green uniform as commander in chief of the People’s Liberation Army, Mr. Xi watched as 12,000 troops marched and tanks, long-range missile launchers, jet fighters and other new weapons drove or flew past in impeccable arrays.

Mao famously said political power comes from the barrel of a gun, and Mr. Xi signaled that he, too, was counting on the military to stay ramrod loyal while he chooses a new leading lineup to be unveiled at a Communist Party congress in the autumn.

“Troops across the entire military, you must be unwavering in upholding the bedrock principle of absolute party leadership of the military,” Mr. Xi said at the parade, held on a dusty training base in Inner Mongolia region, 270 miles northwest of Beijing. “Always obey and follow the party. Go and fight wherever the party points.”

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WNU Editor:
China's "Party Congress" is fast approaching, and the decision will be made next year on extending President Xi's term for another 5 years .... this "parade" was more of a message to those who oppose him in China as much as it was a message to China's neighbours who are now embroiled in border disputes with Beijing. It must also be noted that President Xi was the only political official present .... everyone else was told to stay home and watch the parade on TV.

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