Chinese Security Department Publishes Anti-War Article, Focuses on Chen Yixin’s Relationship with Xi

Recently, the Chinese Ministry of State Security published a commentary article drawing parallels between the rise and fall of the Han Dynasty and emphasizing how a focus on military affairs to the neglect of economic development can lead to a country’s decline. Analysts believe that the article is a veiled reference to Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.

Minister of State Security Chen Yixin is considered a key figure believed to be instrumental in Xi’s control over crucial aspects, and the sudden release of this article by the Ministry of State Security is seen as sending a significant political signal – that Xi might be losing ground in internal power struggles within the party. Concurrently, as Xi Jinping’s military authority is gradually weakened, this influence appears to be spreading within the political and legal systems.

On March 15, the Chinese Ministry of State Security released an article titled “Han Dynasty: Lessons on Economic Rise and Fall and National Security.” The article highlights how in the early years of the Han Dynasty, the rulers heeded the lesson of the downfall of Qin II and implemented policies conducive to production development, laying a crucial material foundation for the consolidation of power and deterrence of enemies. However, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, extensive military campaigns led to a sharp increase in military spending, imposing heavy financial burdens and ultimately resulting in economic decline and social deterioration.

The article concludes by emphasizing that economic security is the foundation of national security, and economic development is key to a country’s prosperity.

Political analyst Chen Pokong, currently residing in the United States, believes that Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping is not only losing his grip on military power, but it seems that even within the national security system, a division is emerging.

Chen Pokong told a reporter from The Epoch Times that the Ministry of State Security’s article clearly bears an anti-Xi tone. The current Minister of State Security, Chen Yixin, was a close ally of Xi Jinping during his time in Zhejiang and was considered a member of the “Zhejiang Army.” However, Chinese bureaucrats are known for opportunism, and if they sense Xi Jinping’s position is weakening, it is not unlikely that some officials may shift to the anti-Xi camp. He believes that based on the article’s content, Chen Yixin appears to have allied with the anti-Xi faction.

Furthermore, he expressed surprise that the article incorporated viewpoints from certain activists or dissenters, whether intentionally or coincidentally, which suggests a shift in the narrative. Since assuming power, Xi Jinping has pursued aggressive policies without considering the economic and social costs, instead prioritizing “political loyalty.”

“This article by the Ministry of State Security directly points to Xi Jinping’s current policy of neglecting economic development in favor of military affairs,” Chen Pokong said. “Combined with the three-year policy causing economic devastation, within a span of just over a decade, Xi Jinping has led the country to ruin.” He further stated that the publication of such an article within the Chinese system, without mentioning Xi Jinping by name, reveals the increasingly unstable political situation he is facing.

Political commentator Tang Jingyuan, in an interview with The Epoch Times, stated that the release of this article by the Chinese Ministry of State Security reflects three key political backgrounds. Firstly, since coming to power, Xi Jinping has viewed himself as the “savior of revitalization,” attempting to establish what he calls “achievements,” with the most representative goal being the use of force to control Taiwan. This article criticizes Emperor Wu of Han, clearly targeting Xi Jinping.

Tang Jingyuan further stated that the second background is related to Xi Jinping’s recent intensive preparations for war in the Taiwan Strait, which has escalated strategic tensions with the United States, resulting in massive military expenditures that further exacerbate China’s economic challenges. The Ministry of State Security’s article emphasizes how Emperor Wu’s continuous wars drained the economy and planted the seeds of decline for the Han Dynasty, a viewpoint that evidently echoes Xi Jinping’s current militaristic policies and aggressive stance towards Taiwan, demonstrating a strong practical focus.

He added that the third background lies in China’s economy being in serious crisis with various industries struggling. In this context, how to develop the economy has become a focal point of intense factional struggles within the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party. Xi Jinping advocates for a return to the planned economy model of the Mao Zedong era, whereas another faction strongly opposes this and seeks to return to Deng Xiaoping’s “focus on economic construction” approach. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of State Security’s article clearly states that “making economic development the central concern is the way to national prosperity,” evidently rejecting Xi Jinping’s policy direction.

Additionally, Tang Jingyuan remarked that Minister of State Security Chen Yixin is a key figure handpicked by Xi Jinping as a member of the “Zhejiang Army,” critical to Xi’s control over crucial sectors. Therefore, the sudden release of such an article by the Ministry of State Security undoubtedly sends a vital political signal – that Xi Jinping may be at a disadvantage in internal power struggles within the party. Therefore, he believes that this article may serve as a formal declaration by Chen Yixin to the anti-Xi faction.

Tang Jingyuan considered the current development almost inevitable. He stated that the Chinese authoritarian system is inherently based on the “barrel of a gun,” as underscored by their repeated slogan, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” Once Xi Jinping’s control over the military is weakened, his grip on powerful entities such as the Ministry of State Security is bound to be impacted. Since the Third Plenum last year, Xi Jinping’s military authority has gradually waned, and this trend seems to have expanded to the political and legal systems.

The Chinese military-industrial complex has long been seen as a critical pillar for Xi Jinping’s control over military authority and the military industry. In recent times, officials with backgrounds in the military-industrial complex have been successively dismissed, indicating ongoing purges within the military-industrial system.

According to the Chinese media outlet “The Paper,” on March 14, Zhang Hongwen, a member of the Anhui Provincial Committee and Secretary of the Hefei Municipal Committee, has been removed from his position. Prior to this, Zhang Hongwen had been absent from public gatherings for several months. As someone hailing from the aerospace sector, his removal further fuels speculations about a widespread purge within the military-industrial system.

Zhang Hongwen’s last public appearance was on December 10, 2024, when he presided over a meeting of the Hefei Municipal Committee. Subsequently, he was absent from several important meetings, including the December 2024 Anhui Provincial Committee meeting and the January 3, 2025, Hefei Municipal Committee Economic Work Conference.

Furthermore, Zhang Hongwen did not attend the major meeting held in Anhui on March 13, 2025, where he was officially announced to have been removed from his position.

Born in April 1975, Zhang Hongwen had a long career in the Chinese aerospace system, serving as the Director of the Third Institute of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chief Researcher, Deputy General Manager of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, among other roles. In September 2020, he was reassigned to the local government and appointed as the Deputy Governor of Anhui Province, member of the Provincial Committee, Secretary of the Hefei Municipal Committee, and the first Secretary of the Hefei Garrison Party Committee.

Apart from Zhang Hongwen, Xudazhe, a member of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and former Secretary of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee, and Luo Qi, Chief Engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, also did not appear at the opening ceremony of this year’s National People’s Congress.

Chen Pokong believes that the current purge of high-ranking officials in the military-industrial complex may not be solely driven by Xi Jinping. He stated that many senior officials within the military-industrial system were appointed by Xi Jinping in recent years, with many being his confidants or deemed reliable choices. The clean-up in the military-industrial sector likely involves different factions, and internal purges are ongoing among these groups. The key lies in understanding the backgrounds, origins, and who promoted these officials to judge the true intentions behind the purge.

Tang Jingyuan stated that since Xi Jinping came to power, he has extensively promoted technical bureaucrats from the military-industrial system, both as a means to consolidate power and as a reservoir of talent for potential conflicts. However, many high-ranking officials within the military-industrial system have been implicated in cases involving former Defense Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, making them subjects of scrutiny. While Xi Jinping had once overseen the purging of these officials, the ongoing cleanup in the military-industrial system continues amidst his gradually diminishing authority. Tang Jingyuan believes that this indicates senior officials within the military-industrial system have become prime targets for purging by anti-Xi factions.