Contributing to Foreign Affairs, an American expert… Pay attention to the future impact of Taiwan, etc.
An analysis has been made that the recent disappearance of military officials in China shows President Xi Jinping’s distrust of the military and could have an impact on the Taiwan issue in the future.
Joel Usnau, a senior researcher at the National Defense University’s Institute for American Strategic Studies (INSS), presented this perspective in an article titled ‘Why Xi Jinping Can’t Trust His Own Military,’ published in Foreign Affairs, a diplomatic magazine, on the 26th (local time).
Citing the example of Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu and other high-ranking generals of the Rocket Force who suddenly disappeared from public appearances, researcher Usnou said, “Over the past two months, several high-ranking Chinese generals have disappeared from public view.”
He continued, “Considering the perception that President Xi has taken control of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and his zero-tolerance promise to eradicate illegal activities early in his term, these disappearances (of generals in succession) are surprising.”
Researcher Usnou linked this to the limits of President Xi’s power and analyzed, “Although the details of the recent purge are still unclear, it reflects President Xi’s lack of trust in the highest-ranking (military) officials.”
He particularly pointed out that President Xi needed the support of high-ranking generals to solidify his power. In this situation, military officials enjoyed many benefits in personnel matters, and supervision of the PLA was also lax.
Researcher Usnou points out that this background, combined with the increase in China’s military budget over the past decade, has led to a situation where rocket force command staff and others are hungry.
He pointed out that President Xi’s lack of trust in the military could also affect future military operations. In particular, if it leads to distrust in the military’s capabilities in the future, it may affect military preparedness in matters such as Taiwan-related issues.
Regarding this situation, Usnou said, “The United States is concerned about how best to prevent a Chinese invasion (of Taiwan), but the important constraint may be something closer to domestic issues.” He said.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.