US Monitors CCP Power Struggles Affecting Xi Jinping

(L-R) Newly-elected Chinese state councilor Qin Gang, state councilor and secretary-general of the State Council Wu Zhenglong, state councilor Li Shangfu swear an oath after they were elected during the fifth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 12, 2023. NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images

At a critical juncture of the power struggle within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), both Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Defense Minister Li Shangfu face challenges. Xi Jinping’s efforts to purge senior military officials seem to be expanding, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that four out of seven members of the Central Military Commission (CMC) are in jeopardy.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel took a rare step by commenting on social media platform X, likening Xi Jinping’s cabinet lineup to characters from Agatha Christie’s novel, “And Then There Were None.”