The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily recently published an article titled “Rebuilding the Authority of Political Cadres in the 82nd Group Army.” The piece was notable for three reasons: it did not mention Xi Jinping, it emphasized “democratic centralism” (implicitly critiquing Xi’s more autocratic approach to government), and it advocated for restoration of the political authority of CCP cadres (hinting at a fix to Miao Hua’s military-political work).
The article stated: “When democratic centralism becomes the ‘golden key’ to consensus, when the fighting spirit becomes the ‘scalpel’ against entrenched problems, and when truth-telling becomes the ‘yardstick’ of combat readiness, the image and authority of political cadres will stand firm.”
Recently, reports surfaced online that during this year’s Beidaihe meetings, the 82nd Group Army (formerly the 38 Army) was deployed to Beijing and its neighboring area and also took over the defense of the Beidaihe venue. Large stockpiles of weapons and ammunition were reportedly stored in Beijing’s Zhongshan Park, with numerous barracks set up, and many military vehicles and tanks were stationed inside the city. The authorities said the activities were to prepare for a military parade scheduled for September 3, but in previous years’ military parades only saw defense deployments in suburban areas. There were reports that several buses blocked a line of tanks when they entered the city.
Commentator Chen Pokong noted that the PLA Daily ran this weighty article, conspicuously omitting Xi, rather than denying the rumors of (that a power struggle over the military could be ongoing).
Historically, the 38th Army played a major role in combat during the Korean War. It was repeatedly used in CCP power struggles. During the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989, it was deployed to suppress and kill protesters. In 2012, amid the power struggle between Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, Hu’s faction deployed the 38th Army to Beijing to confront Jiang’s ally Zhou Yongkang, forcing Zhou into retreat. In 2015, Zhang Youxia led the 38th Army into Zhongnanhai to assist Xi Jinping in disarming the Central Guard Bureau and remove its chief Cao Qing and deputy chief Wang Qing.
Sources:
1. PLA Daily, August 16, 2025
http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/wzll/yw_214068/16402940.html
2. China News Center, August 20, 2025
https://chinanewscenter.com/archives/49294