Widening Defense Purges Deal a Blow to Xi’s Military Ambition: Analysts

With the downfall of two more military chiefs, more than one-fifth of the generals promoted under Xi have fallen from grace.

Gen. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks at the opening of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao, China, on April 22, 2024. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

News Analysis

The Chinese regime has launched an investigation into the military’s most senior general, an unexpected development that raises fresh questions about the country’s armed forces’ readiness and the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to mount an invasion of Taiwan.