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James Ceaser is the Harry F. Byrd Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, director of the Program for Constitutionalism and Democracy, and was a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is the author of several books on American politics and American political thought, including...
"Inspired with Enthusiasm": Themes from the October 1 National Day Editorial
Each year on October 1, Liberation Army Daily publishes an editorial celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Along with similar commentary published on Army Day on August 1 and the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party on July 1, each year's National Day editorial offers a snapshot of the dominant political and military policy "lines." This article compares the text of this year's commentary with the three previous National Day messages, and assesses the implications for party-military relations and military modernization.
The PLA and the "Three Represents": Jiang's Bodyguards or Party-Army?
In July 2001, Jiang Zemin gave an important speech at the Central Party School, formally introducing the concept of the "three represents," which calls for some dramatic changes in inner-party democracy and ideology. Even before this speech, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) had been one of the strongest institutional proponents of these new concepts. This article examines the PLA's interpretation of these ideas, as well as the civil-military dynamic driving their praise of Jiang Zemin as the author of the concepts.
Say Hello to the New Guys
In late July 2012, six officers, two from the People’s Armed Police and four from the People’s Liberation Army, were promoted to the rank of full general, the highest possible rank in the service. The order was conferred by the presumably outgoing Central Military Commission Chairman, Hu Jintao, but was announced by his likely successor, Xi Jinping. This article examines the backgrounds of these six individuals, assessing whether they might represent new trends under Xi’s leadership.
The New Central Military Commission
The advent of the 18th Party Congress in early November 2012 marked a large-scale turnover of senior military personnel in the People’s Liberation Army, including eight out of the ten uniformed members of the leading Central Military Commission. Moreover, the Party’s new general-secretary Xi Jinping also replaced Hu Jintao as CMC chairman, defying expectations that the latter would stay on for an additional two years. This article examines the reasons for Xi’s “early” promotion and profiles the new members, exploring their backgrounds and possible clues to their preferences and outlooks.
Groupthink? PLA Leading Small Groups and the Prospect for Real Reform and Change in the Chinese Military
As a result of the 18th Party Congress and its subsequent plenums, especially the Third Plenum in the fall of 2013, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has embarked on a broad set of institutional reforms, tackling training, political work, command and control, and corruption among others. These reform efforts fall under the purview of newly established “leading groups,” led by senior officials in the relevant offices. This article examines the personnel and institutional makeup of these new groups, outlines their declared and undeclared missions, and assesses the probability of their success.
Lawyers, Guns and Money: The Coming Show Trial of General Xu Caihou
On 30 June 2014, the Chinese Communist Party expelled former Politburo member and Central Military Commission vice-chair Xu Caihou for corruption following a three-month investigation.
Hotel Gutian: We Haven’t Had That Spirit Here Since 1929
In November 2014, Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping used the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the 1929 Gutian Conference to convene a critical meeting on political work in the People’s Liberation Army.
The Yuan Stops Here: Xi Jinping and the “CMC Chairman Responsibility System”
The Xi Jinping era has been marked by a greater degree of personalized command, sometimes veering toward cult of personality, than any leadership period since the death of Mao Zedong.
Consolidating Positions
In recent weeks, candidates in Taiwan’s forthcoming presidential election have focused on consolidating their positions.
So Crooked They Have To Screw Their Pants On—Part 3: The Guo Boxiong Edition
On 30 July, the Central Committee announced that General Guo Boxiong, who served as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission between 2002 and 2012, was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and handed over to prosecutors for accepting bribes.
China’s “Goldwater-Nichols”? The Long-Awaited PLA Reorganization Has Finally Arrived
On 31 December 2015, CCP supremo Xi Jinping announced the most sweeping reorganization of the People’s Liberation Army since the 1950s.
PLA Divestiture 2.0: We Mean It This Time
In November 2015, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) announced that the military’s remaining sanctioned participation in the PRC economy, known as “paid services,” would be phased out over the course of three years.
Xi Jinping Has a Cool New Nickname: “Commander-in-Chief”
On 20 April 2016, Xi Jinping formally inspected the Central Military Commission’s joint battle command center, broadcast on national television.
A Conservative Answer To Climate Change
Enacting a carbon tax would free up private firms to find the most efficient ways to cut emissions.
Kori Schake: National Security Challenges for the New Administration
Hoover Institution fellow Kori Schake discusses national security challenges for the new administration.
“Scraping Poison Off the Bone”: An Examination of the Campaign to “Eliminate the Baneful Influence of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou”
In July 2016, Chinese state media began using a new formulation about “eliminating the baneful [pernicious] influence of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou” from the military.
Oh Fang, Where Art Thou? Xi Jinping and the PLA’s 90th Anniversary
As the Chinese Communist Party heads into the 19th Party Congress in October, Xi Jinping’s speech commemorating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army was notable both for what he said and what he did not say.
The Cult of Xi and the Rise of the CMC Chairman Responsibility System
Analyst coverage of the recent 19th Party Congress has emphasized the “cult of Xi” and the lack of a designated successor among the new civilian leadership team, as well as the ideological and normative content of the Central Committee work report delivered by party chief Xi Jinping.
“Like Donkeys Slaughtered After They Are Too Old to Work a Grindstone”: PLA Veterans Protests and Party-Military Relations Under Xi Jinping
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) veterans are a revered and honored class in China, and the political leadership is very sensitive to perceptions of their treatment and their potential for anti-regime collective action.
Security And Defense Cooperation In The Indo-Pacific | 2020 Conference On Taiwan In The Indo-Pacific Region | Panel 1
Security and Defense Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.