Purges of China's military leadership: Xi Jinping arrested his "right-hand man" on suspicion of a coup d'état
Kyiv • UNN
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has initiated a wave of arrests among the top generals, removing influential figures from the army. This is happening amid rumors of an attempted coup and preparations for a conflict over Taiwan.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has initiated an unprecedented wave of arrests among the top generals. The removal of the most influential figures in the army amid rumors of an attempted coup demonstrates Beijing's readiness for ruthless steps to ensure absolute control over the armed forces. This is stated in the Sky News material, writes UNN.
Details
China's Ministry of Defense issued a sensational statement about an investigation into General Zhang Youxia – a man who was considered Xi Jinping's right-hand man in military matters. Zhang held the position of deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission and was one of the few active military leaders with real combat experience. His removal, along with General Liu Zhenli, became the most high-profile event in a series of purges, as both officers are accused of "serious violations of party discipline."
The situation is made particularly dramatic by the fact that Zhang Youxia and Xi Jinping share common roots as sons of heroes of the communist revolution. The fact that the president took such a step against a long-time personal ally underscores the scale of the "rot" that Beijing is trying to eradicate in the army ranks. Currently, only Xi and one other official remain from the country's top seven-member governing body, which, in terms of the intensity of repression, can only be compared to the era of Mao Zedong.
Espionage, corruption, or an attempted coup
Although corruption is officially cited as the reason for the arrests, experts and global media are considering much more serious scenarios. Rumors are circulating in social networks and diplomatic circles about the generals' involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the current regime. In addition, the Wall Street Journal published information according to which Zhang could have been involved in transferring China's nuclear secrets to the United States.
Unlike previous cases where officials disappeared for months before official announcements, this time the system's reaction was lightning-fast – accusations appeared just days after the generals' disappearance. An editorial in the PLA Daily hinted that the actions of those detained undermined Xi's personal leadership over the army. This suggests that the Chinese leader felt a direct threat to his authority.
Preparation for a major war over Taiwan
Analysts suggest that these purges are driven not only by fear of a coup, but also by strategic preparation for a possible conflict over Taiwan. Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated his readiness to reclaim the island by force, and deeply rooted corruption in the defense sector casts doubt on the army's real combat capability.
The media claims that the destruction of the opposition and the complete subordination of the Central Military Commission allows Xi Jinping to turn the armed forces into an ideally obedient instrument. If earlier experts saw signs of paranoia or weakness in such actions, now the prevailing opinion is about a demonstration of absolute confidence. By removing such powerful figures, Beijing makes it clear: in modern China, no one is untouchable, and the army must be ready to carry out any order of the leader without any hesitation.