A 'Silent Coup' in China? Xi Ousts Childhood Friend in Shocking Military Purge

 

A 'Silent Coup' in China? Xi Ousts Childhood Friend in Shocking Military Purge

Introduction

A political earthquake is shaking the foundations of China's military establishment. In a dramatic announcement, China's Ministry of Defense confirmed that General Zhang Youxia, the country's second most powerful military leader and a close confidant of President Xi Jinping, is now under investigation. This isn't just another anti-corruption case; it's a shocking escalation that signals a deep and unprecedented purge at the very top of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), targeting even the President's most trusted allies. This article breaks down the most surprising takeaways from what some are calling a "silent coup" against Xi's own military establishment.

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1. The Ultimate Betrayal: Xi Purged His Childhood Friend

The removal of General Zhang Youxia is stunning because of his deep, personal connection to Xi Jinping. Zhang was not merely a high-ranking general but a long-time confidant whose father was a revolutionary-era contemporary of Xi's own father. This historical bond was so strong that Xi kept the 75-year-old Zhang in his powerful role as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, well past the unofficial retirement age.

This move signals that no one is safe. Loyalty is now being tested at the highest echelon of power, and historical ties no longer guarantee protection from the president's sweeping campaign.

"The purge of a childhood friend like Zhang Youxia shows that there are now no limits to Xi's anti-corruption spirit." — Christopher K. Johnson, President, China Strategies Group

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2. An Unprecedented Purge Has Gutted the High Command

The scale of this military clean-up is staggering. With the removal of General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli, the Central Military Commission (CMC)—the supreme body controlling the entire armed forces—has been effectively hollowed out, leaving only Xi Jinping himself and General Zhang Shengmin, the very man tasked with leading the purges.

Supporting this picture of a decapitated command structure is a stark statistic: Xi has now removed five of the six generals he personally appointed to the CMC in 2022. The removal of Zhang and Liu is particularly damaging because they were the two highest commanders responsible for practical operational tasks. This has created a dangerous operational void at the top. As Shanshan Mei of the RAND Corporation notes, there is now "no one at the highest level who has operational experience or who is responsible for training and exercises."

The purge extends far beyond the CMC. According to analysis from Neil Thomas of the Asia Society, of the 44 uniformed officers appointed to the Party's Central Committee in 2022, a staggering 29—roughly two-thirds—have already been removed or have disappeared.

"This move is unprecedented in the history of the Chinese military and is a total destruction of the high command." — Christopher K. Johnson, President, China Strategies Group

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3. This Is About More Than Just Corruption—It’s About Xi’s Insecurity

Officially, the purges are part of a campaign against "serious violations of discipline and law," the standard government euphemism for corruption. This has been Xi Jinping's signature policy since he came to power, promising to clean up a military rife with bribery for promotions and weapons contracts.

However, analysts believe the purge is driven by something far more personal: Xi Jinping's deep-seated insecurity and his relentless quest for absolute loyalty. After more than a decade in power, Xi has seemingly realized that even his own proteges are entangled in the old practices. The fact that he is now removing his own hand-picked appointees suggests a profound paranoia and a belief that the system he inherited is incorrigibly compromised.

"I think this reflects Xi Jinping's personal insecurity, and that is a major factor in his military purge." — Su Tzu-yun, PLA Expert, Institute for National Defense and Security Research

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4. Counter-Intuitively, a Weaker PLA Might Mean a Safer Taiwan (For Now)

In a strange twist, this massive military purge might actually decrease the chances of an imminent conflict over Taiwan. The reasoning is simple: the clean-up is creating severe short-term weaknesses in the PLA's operational capabilities.

By removing top commanders, Xi has also removed invaluable experience. General Zhang Youxia, for instance, was one of the few senior leaders with actual combat experience, having fought in the 1979 China-Vietnam war. His ousting creates a massive leadership and experience gap, crippling combat readiness at a critical time.

Furthermore, analysts believe Zhang's downfall may be linked to his previous role as head of the General Equipment Department. That unit, which controls massive weapons contracts, is widely known as a "honey pot" of corruption. The former Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, was also removed after serving in the same department, revealing a pattern that suggests Xi is targeting a deep-rooted network of graft.

Rebuilding the PLA's shattered chain of command is a monumental task that cannot be completed overnight. This operational disruption has clear geopolitical consequences.

"Rebuilding this chain of command may take five years or more... The chance of an attack on Taiwan in the short term has decreased." — Su Tzu-yun, PLA Expert, Institute for National Defense and Security Research

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Conclusion

President Xi Jinping has made a massive gamble. He is deliberately destabilizing his own military leadership, risking significant short-term weakness and operational chaos. His goal is the complete transformation of the PLA into a fighting force that is not only more effective but, more importantly, completely and unquestionably loyal to him alone.

This raises a critical question for the future of China and the world. In his relentless quest for absolute control, is Xi Jinping creating a more formidable military for the future, or is he leaving a wound so deep that it will cripple his own strategic ambitions?