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. The recent uptick in veteran protests over benefits is understandably alarming to Zhongnanhai, and the government has undertaken swift bureaucratic and coercive measures to isolate and curb their proliferation. This article explores the origins and scope of the veteran protests and assesses their implications for party-army relations and Xi Jinping’s personal political fortunes.
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“Like Donkeys Slaughtered After They Are Too Old to Work a Grindstone”: PLA Veterans Protests and Party-Military Relations Under Xi Jinping
