Xi Jinping Purges His Closest Allies? Inside China’s Military Crackdown And Power Crisis

Chinese President Xi Jinping has consolidated unprecedented power over the Communist Party, government and military. Yet, his sweeping anti-corruption campaign is now reaching some of the most powerful figures in his own inner circle. At the Chinese Communist Party’s Fifth Plenum, 33 senior officials were expelled, including former Central Military Commission vice-chairman General Zhang Youxia, former military chief of staff Liu Zhenli and Xi’s former close aide Zhong Shaojun. The latest purge has intensified questions about the stability of China's military leadership, with hundreds of Central Committee members now absent or removed since its formation in 2022. Why are Xi’s own appointees falling? Is the crackdown primarily about corruption, political loyalty or the consolidation of personal power? And what does the growing leadership vacuum mean for the People’s Liberation Army as China approaches the crucial 2027 Party Congress?