Overseas media and internet have made a big hype recently about the power struggle between Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, ignited by poverty alleviation status and ground-stall economy. As if Xi and Li are pointing guns at each other and soon going to crush CCP’s rule. What an intriguing story to satisfy the public’s expectation towards the collapse of CCP. But it is questionable whether the truth about the power wrangling behind CCP iron curtain will disrupt its governance exactly as rumored by the outsiders. If Xi-Li power struggle is so exaggerated that we fall into the CCP’s good cop / bad cop trick, expecting a quick defeat of CCP and the Hong Kong version of National Security Law being shelved, slowing down the protest momentum, then not only the delight of enjoying the show is lost, but also the chance to hit when one is weak.

Li Keqiang openly disclosed that there are 600 million Chinese people each earning only RMB1000 a month. It definitely bursted the middle-class China dream of Xi Jinping. And Li Keqiang’s street stall economy theory being besieged by Xi army also surely slapped Li on the face. However, the powers of the two are not equal. Not to mention it’s not comparable to Hu-Wen (Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao) ruling system, it couldn’t even excel Jiang-Li (Jiang Zemin, Li Peng) system. Many people within CCP are disatisied with Xi Jinping, and before there were members using Jiang Zemin and Zeng Qinghong as rivals against Xi Jinping. Yet even Jiang and Zeng could do nothing against Xi, what can the weakest premiere Li Keqiang do?

Moreover, it is not the first time the economy policy of Li Keqiang was besieged by state media. In May 2016, the People’s Daily published a long article “Opening Question of the First Quarter“, which criticised policies driven by Li, including rescuing the stock and property markets, “Internet+”, and finance innovation. This battle between the south chamber (Central CCP) and north chamber (State Council) of Zhongnanhai was the first time Xi-Li conflicts became public. There were then noises of Li Keqiang being dismissed early. The result? He served his full term, plus continued for another in 2018. Was Li relented, or did Xi need Li’s hand? Or were Xi-Li playing good cop/bad cop to mitigate public grievances after stock market crash? There has been no conclusion so far.

After Xi Jinping’s constitutional amendment to abolish the term limit of leadership, and paved way to rule for life, his leading position in the party was consolidated. At least Xi army no longer had to worry about Xi Jinping stepping down at the end of his term. It also attracted speculators to surrender. China-US trade war and Wuhan pneumonia battle were supposedly Premiere’s job. But Xi Jinping himself conducted and deployed them. Was he lack of confidence, in fear of Li Keqiang making use of the opportunity to seize power? Or was Xi army full of confidence, not letting the fruit of victory be picked?

Underestimate CCP evilness and Chinese servility

From the outbreak of China-US trade war to Wuhan pneumonia wrecking havoc worldwide, there have been more and more words and actions of discontents towards Xi Jinping, both inside and outside of CCP and China. Xi Jinping was mocked as “Chief Accelerator”, meaning his madness is leading and accelerating CCP to demise. Yet as I wrote earlier, over-exaggerating the incompetence theory and CCP rapid-defeat theory would only make the world pay a more miserable price for the last insanity of Xi Jinping and CCP. Because one of the effects of the incompetence theory and rapid-defeat theory is to make the democratic world put faith in luck, thinking that the day will dawn upon tolerating this inability and idiocy. This is underestimate of CCP evilness, Chinese servile nature, and the inertia of some democratic countries appeasing CCP.

After CCP established the government, it haven’t collapsed despite of breaking its words for self benefits, destroying the democratic party, the 17 Tibetan agreements and the private capitalists, or creating man-made disasters like three years of famine, ten years of cultural revolution, and 8964 etc. Internally, were it not for the different survival philosophy and values of Chinese from those of the world, how could the political trickery of CCP sovereignty be effective for long? Externally, after reforms and opening of CCP, it even gained appeasement from democratic countries. So that after becoming a ruler, Xi Jinping could declare China as standing up, getting rich, and growing strong. Disregarding the world’s heavy casulties because of CCP’s cover-up of Wuhan pneumonia epidemic, and America standing at a tougher position against China, they still couldn’t get unanimous support from the western allies.

Although China-US trade war and Wuhan pneumonia have changed the servility of Chinese and the appeasement of western countries, it’s a question whether they are enough to crush Xi Jinping. At least there isn’t a sign of the last battle, or the last blow. Even if a miracle appears in Xi-Li power stuggle where Li Keqiang turns the table, do you think he will be Gorbachev of China thereupon leading China to democracy and rule of law?

Is Hong Kong version of National Security Law a suicidal strike of the last madness of Xi Jinping and CCP? Would it be pulled back before it’s too late because of Xi-Li power struggle and the vigorous counter measures from Canada, US and UK? Ideal is sexy, reality is bony. “Anything reactionary won’t fall if you don’t fight it.” To let Hong Kong version of National Security Law be the straw that breaks Xi Jinping’s back, it is necessary for the people of Hong Kong to fight persistently and the western countries to pressure continually. Don’t become an on-looker for the sake of watching Xi-Li power struggle.

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