China: The Silent Struggle for Power.

Power struggles seldom resolve through political compromise or sudden concessions. The history of China's communist era is littered with figures purged or meeting even more tragic fates. Authority has remained firmly in the hands of the princelings—descendants of the nation's political elite who have weathered multiple leadership transitions almost unscathed.

Consider Xi Jinping's triple role: head of state, party chairman, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. By consolidating these positions, he appears to have secured lifelong control. This move has stirred discontent among various factions: the princelings, the Hu Jintao camp, and the remnants of the Jiang Zemin faction.

During a recent plenary session of the Central Committee, Xi Jinping suddenly collapsed. Some attributed it to overwork, others to a stroke. Subsequently embroiled in a struggle for military control, he desperately sought to maintain the armed forces' loyalty. After losing this contest, his subsequent attempts to seize power failed, culminating in Zhang Youxia assuming command of the military. Ironically, fresh stroke rumours surfaced on the eve of the Fourth Plenum – unconfirmed both domestically and internationally.

It is alleged that senior figures led by Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao abruptly launched a power struggle: planning to remove Xi Jinping at the forthcoming plenary session, elevate Wang Yang as interim successor, and position Hu Chunhua as future Premier. The latter would assume state leadership at the Fifth Plenary Session. Concurrently, Premier Li Qiang—reportedly appointed by Xi—is said to have defected, negotiating power transfer arrangements with US officials. His primary objective is to maintain stability in Sino-American relations.

Regardless of his health, Xi Jinping remains an extraordinary figure: this radical hardliner is determined to confront America, exhibiting isolationism, suspicion and paranoia. The elite regard him as a fool, yet are acutely aware of his latent threat. This evokes the proverb about a cornered rat striking back. Xi remains a formidable adversary; it is premature to count him out.

Reports indicate that before the Fourth Plenum, 155 of the 370 plenum members faced personal pressure to choose sides in political struggles, while another 48 were detained.

Historical lessons are starkly evident: Li Keqiang's drowning death and Xu Qiliang's sudden collapse during morning jogging foreshadow China's latent crises. Two major warnings have become clear: closely watch Zhang Youxia and his deputies Liu Yuan and He Hongsheng; and be especially wary of ‘teapots’ during the Fourth Plenum – particularly bottled water.