Ousting of CCP Politburo Member Reveals Weaknesses in Xi’s Leadership, Analysts Say

Ma Xingrui was plotting a coup against Xi Jinping with others, according to an analyst who has informants in the CCP’s top echelons.

A Chinese paramilitary policeman stands guard in Tiananmen Square before the introduction of the Communist Party of China's Politburo Standing Committee, the nation's top decision-making body, in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

The recent ouster of Ma Xingrui, former Party secretary of the Xinjiang region and a confidant of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, marks the third member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s current Politburo to be purged in six months, which reflects major weaknesses in Xi’s leadership, according to analysts.

The Chinese regime announced on April 3 that Ma is under investigation for suspected “serious violation of law and discipline.” The announcement followed his disappearance from public view in late October 2025.