Xi Jinping purges top military brass to consolidate absolute grip on power

TAIPEI — Chinese leader Xi Jinping has moved to cement absolute control over the military following a sweeping purge of top officials that has left a significant void in the country’s defense command.

The dismissal of Gen. Zhang Youxia last week serves as the latest demonstration of Xi’s authoritarian dominance over the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The move has created a major power vacuum that observers expect Xi to fill with a new generation of hand-picked loyalists.

Xi has previously remarked that great danger and opportunity often go hand-in-hand, a philosophy now playing out through his restructuring of the military hierarchy. Analysts view the reshuffle as a strategic step to consolidate power amid rising regional geopolitical tensions.

Xi Jinping’s sweeping purge of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) high command transcends mere internal political theater. It represents a calculated strategic pivot designed to enforce absolute institutional loyalty, signaling Beijing’s preparation for a sustained era of potential confrontation. By sidelining seasoned officers who may harbor independent strategic views, Xi is forging a military apparatus engineered for unquestioning execution.

For the region, particularly regarding the South China Sea, this reshuffle introduces significant volatility. A revamped command structure populated by hand-picked loyalists is likely to be more assertive—and potentially more reckless—in enforcing Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims. This shift presents a heightened security challenge for Vietnam and other claimant states.

In Hanoi, the overhaul of China’s military leadership is viewed as an escalation of the risk of tactical miscalculation. The extreme centralization of command under a single leader threatens to erode the efficacy of established military-to-military communication channels. These "hotlines," critical for de-escalating maritime friction, become increasingly fragile when decision-making is restricted to a narrow circle of political loyalists.

Ultimately, Xi’s long-term objective is the cultivation of a force that is not only technologically formidable but also politically monolithic. This restructuring ensures the PLA functions as a precision instrument for Xi’s broader geopolitical ambitions, prioritizing ideological alignment over traditional military institutionalism.

While this development has no direct impact on Vietnamese-American small businesses or visa matters, it has sparked growing concern within the community regarding regional stability in the South China Sea. Many remain deeply worried about the security of Vietnam, a homeland where deep family roots and personal connections remain vital.