‘Watershed’ takedown of Zhou gives Xi upper hand but risks counter-attack by ‘big tigers’

‘Watershed’ takedown of Zhou gives Xi upper hand but risks counter-attack by ‘big tigers’

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com While Xi Jinping has accomplished what the official media call a “watershed triumph” by taking out “super-big tiger” Zhou Yongkang, tell-tale signs have emerged showing that the supremo’s hold on power is far from complete. Firstly, while the president’s opponents have apparently acquiesced in Xi’s breaking the taboo that “former […]

Xi Jinping appears less powerful than his PR agents wanted us to believe

Xi Jinping appears less powerful than his PR agents wanted us to believe

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com The latest “terrorist” attack in China — the stabbing incident at the Guangzhou Railway Station on Tuesday, May 6 — resulted only in six people injured. Yet coming hot upon the heels of bombing and stabbing mishaps in cities including Kunming and Urumqi, the Guangzhou case has made […]

Anti-corruption drive spares major state-run monopolies, yangqis

Anti-corruption drive spares major state-run monopolies, yangqis

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com The high-profile detention last week of Jiang Jiemin, former president of one of China’s largest state-owned conglomerates, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), means that President Xi Jinping is really serious about fighting corruption. There is, however, no evidence that the crackdown on the monkey businesses of the […]

With 150,000 ‘Arab Spring’-like incidents from Hong Kong to Xinjiang, are CCP’s days numbered?

With 150,000 ‘Arab Spring’-like incidents from Hong Kong to Xinjiang, are CCP’s days numbered?

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com For years, analysts of domestic Chinese politics have been pondering this important question: With riots and protests increasing to more than 150,000 incidents a year, how close is China from an Arab-style mass uprising that could result in the destruction of the dictatorial Chinese Communist Party (CCP)? Even […]

Hu Jintao and future President Xi Jinping forge power pact over Bo scandal

Hu Jintao and future President Xi Jinping forge power pact over Bo scandal

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com Former Chongqing Party Secretary Bo Xilai’s alleged conspiracy to usurp Vice President Xi Jinping’s status as heir apparent to the Chinese Communist Party leadership has served to tighten ties between Xi and the current supremo, President Hu Jintao. This has been seen as one of the few “positive […]