The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
Wang Yi replaced Qin and is going to visit the US for a visit with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Yi was a foreign minister before Qin and was senior to the ousted foreign minister.
In May earlier this year, China had declined a meeting between Li and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
"Overnight, the PRC informed the U.S. that they have declined our early May invitation for Secretary (Lloyd) Austin to meet with PRC Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in Singapore," the Pentagon said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, referring to China by the initials of its official name, the People's Republic of China. (Source: “China declines US request for a meeting between defense chiefs” / Reuters)
Interestingly, the US put sanctions on Li in 2018 because China had purchased combat aircraft and equipment from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s main arms exporter.
On October 24th, China Central Television (CCTV) made the announcements about the removal of the two ministers.
Two other ministers were removed. The science and technology minister, Wang Zhigang, and the finance minister, Liu Kun. The Science and Technology party secretary, Yin Hejun, and the Finance Ministry party secretary, Lan Fo’an have replaced them.
Quite unexpectedly in August, Xi also replaced two generals who were in charge of China’s nuclear and missile arsenal.
State media reported that Gen. Li Yuchao, chief of the People’s Liberation Army’s rocket force unit, and his deputy, Gen. Liu Guangbin, were replaced by a naval officer and an air force officer. The new leaders, former deputy Chinese navy chief Wang Houbin and party central committee member Xu Xishen, have not previously served in the force — a dramatic break with practice, experts said. “It’s unprecedented in the history of China’s missile forces,” said M. Taylor Fravel, a professor of political science and director of the security studies program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (Source: “China replaces nuclear force leadership in surprise shake-up”/ NBC)
On July 28th, more removals had happened.
Le Yucheng was removed from the post of deputy director of the National Radio and Television Administration and Gao Peiyong was removed from the post of vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, while Lyu Erxue was relieved of his position as deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. (Source: State Council appoints, removes officials / State Council of PRC)
Steve Tsang, a Chinese expert at London's School of Oriental and African Studies, says that it could be further consolidation of "Xi's faction" within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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Our Perspective (or दृष्टिकोण - Drishtikone)
These actions are a manifestation of both Xi's understanding of his vulnerabilities and a way to create strength for himself. Just as Xi Jinping was a close rising star to Hu Jintao and one day got him out unceremoniously, Xi must always be living in fear of someone doing to him what he did to Hu.
So letting anyone get even powerful enough and being in that state for long enough is an existential threat to Xi Jinping.
The more dispensable powerful bureaucrats feel within the Chinese system, the more powerful Xi becomes. When they live in fear of random purge, they will toe Xi's line within and outside China to the hilt.
Xi's eye is also on the larger geopolitical prize. We did discuss the Hamas attack and the backend work that China may be doing to orchestrate a large geopolitical coup.
Xi Jinping needs subservient lieutenants to effect that agenda. Those whom he can depend on completely!
He is getting a "Yes team" to take on the world. And that is what he is going for.
This should be extremely disconcerting for China. With no dissent or different ideas, and purge stifling every voice other than the ones that align with Xi's, the Chinese actions could be random, based on ego, and even without larger support or passion. If the larger establishment is doing work out of fear as opposed to passion, then there is little element of responsibility or ownership.
That is the greatest weakness in the Chinese system today.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
Rare Earth Elements (REE) will change and rule the world as oil did in the last century. China dominates that industry like no other. And it uses that monopoly to beat down on its adversaries.
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