Xi Jinping’s Military Purge Signals a High-Stakes Battle Inside China’s Elite

The removal of two top generals has intensified speculation that Xi is confronting powerful factions long embedded in the CCP.

China's vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China Zhang Youxia (center) arrives for a group photo before the opening ceremony of the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao, China's Shandong province on April 22, 2024. WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images

News analysis

The sudden downfall of two of China’s most senior military leaders has fueled speculation that Chinese leader Xi Jinping is entering a decisive—and potentially destabilizing—phase of internal power consolidation.