Chinese President Xi Jinping trusts the Pakistani Army more than he trusts his own Peoples Liberation Army. In recent days, Xi Jinping has needled the PLA the wrong way. Despite being a private militia force of the CCP, the People’s Liberation Army and its soldiers are beginning to voice their anger against the Jinping-led regime.
Veterans of the PLA have even begun protesting against the Chinese regime. As reported by TFI recently, Jinping’s desperation has led to Beijing Police arresting 137 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) veterans who were protesting against the Military Affairs Departments of China’s various provinces, while demanding that their resettlement issues be resolved. This comes as a first in China.
So, Xi Jinping is taking up a war with his armed forces. Now, as per Indian intelligence reports, Pakistani army officers are being stationed in the formation headquarters of China’s People Liberation Army (PLA). Pakistan Liaison Officers have been posted in the headquarters of China’s Western Theatre Command and Southern Theatre Command. According to a report by News18, Colonel-rank officers of the Pakistan Army have been posted at the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission — which is responsible for combat planning, training and strategy of China’s armed forces — and at the Ministry of State Security.
Additionally, the report also revealed that around 10 additional Pakistan Army officers, apart from defence attaches, are also posted in the Pakistan embassy in Beijing for procurement-related projects. As reported by TFI, the Western Theater Command is proving to be a particularly tough nut for Jinping to crack.
It is responsible for China’s geographically most vast area, and now also has to deal with the emergent situation in Afghanistan, apart from handling India, Tibet and Xinjiang. The deployment of Pakistan’s army officers in the region shows how Jinping has begun outsourcing the PLA’s command and control to China’s client state – Pakistan, which happens to have fractionally braver soldiers than Chinese little emperors.
The Southern Theatre Command of the PLA, meanwhile, takes care of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong, Macau among others.
Jinping’s Bid to Secure His Rule
Jinping is not oblivious to the imminent threat his reign has come to face not just from within the CCP itself, but from the Chinese populace at large. So, he is now filling the People’s Liberation Army, Navy and Air Force ranks with his topmost lieutenants, who would go to any extent to secure his rule. Xi Jinping is emulating the tactics employed by previous leader Jiang Zemin, who set a precedent by promoting quite a few generals to higher ranks during his remaining days in office. This helped Jiang Zemin keep the Central Military Commission (CMC) under his control even after he was no longer in power.
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China has just got a new Air Force Commander, Chang Dingqiu; while Lin Xiangyang is the new Central Theater Command Commander. Wang Xiubin has been promoted by Xi Jinping as the new Southern Theater Command Commander. As explained by TFI, to tame the Western Theater Command, Xi Jinping has appointed Gen Wang Haijiang as the new Commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theater Command. Gen Wang is the fourth commander to head the Western Theater Command after the eastern Ladakh standoff began in May last year. Dong Jun, meanwhile is the new Commander of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN).
The mess in China is becoming just too large for Xi Jinping to handle only with the help of his loyal foot soldiers in the PLA. Therefore, he has roped in the Pakistanis in a desperate attempt to somehow secure his rule, and also guide China’s armed forces in areas where they have no expertise. China’s belligerence and aggression are rising. It has been struck by an unforgiving power crisis. So, it is roping in all the help it can get.