China’s Military Shake-Up Fuels Coup Speculation as State Media Issues Rare Rebuke

Chinese state media’s unusually harsh language following the purge has drawn scrutiny from analysts watching for signs of instability inside the armed forces.

Members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army honor guard train in Beijing on Jan. 1, 2018. AFP/Getty Images

The sudden downfall of two of China’s most senior military officials has triggered an intense response from the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) propaganda outlets, fueling speculation among China analysts and observers that the purge may be linked to an attempted challenge to Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s authority.

On Jan. 24, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that Zhang Youxia, a Politburo member and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of the Joint Staff Department, were under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law.”