CPC expels Xi’s critic, who accused him of provoking conflict with India to divert attention

Cai, 68, was punished because she had made speeches with “serious political problems”. (胡发云 hufayun/@hufayun2/Twitter)

China’s ruling Communist Party has expelled a staunch critic of President Xi Jinping who has accused him among others of “provoking” conflict with other countries, including with India, to divert the attention of the Chinese public from domestic economic and social tensions. The Communist Party of China (CPC) expelled Cai Xia, a former professor at the Central Party School, as punishment for speeches “that damaged the reputation of the country”, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Monday. Cai, 68, was punished because she had made speeches with “serious political problems”, the report said quoting a notice on the school’s website. Her speeches were of “extraordinarily execrable nature”, and seriously violated the political discipline of the party, the notice said. Cai told the Post that she was safe and well in the United States but declined to elaborate. In an interview to the UK’s Guardian newspaper in June, Cai said Xi was provoking conflict between China and India besides encouraging anti-American sentiment to consolidate his own position and authority. Asked what benefit is there to making China an enemy of the world and why Xi would provoke conflicts, Cai said, “there are several factors. Among them is that he wants to consolidate his own position and authority”. “Considering domestic economic and social tensions, as well as those in the party of the last few years, he will think of ways to divert the attention of the Chinese public, provoking conflict with other countries, for example encouraging anti-American sentiment and the recent clash between China and India”, she said, apparently referring to the clash in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. She also criticised Xi on multiple issues including the constitutional amendment removing the two-term limit for the President paving the way for lifelong tenure, secrecy related to coronavirus casualties and not acting to curb the virus when he came to know of it on January 7 this year. She said Xi forced through the amendment of China’s Constitution to abolish term limits for the President in 2018, giving him the ability to stay in power indefinitely. Cai said that China was moving towards disaster “because people cannot speak the truth. The party central school, where Cai worked is an important ideological institution was headed by Xi before he took over power in 2012.