In the shadowed corridors of Beijing’s Zhongnanhai compound, a drama of Shakespearean proportions is unfolding. Chinese President Xi Jinping, now in his 14th year at the helm of the world’s second-most populous nation, has orchestrated a series of purges that have decimated the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
What began as an anti-corruption drive in 2012 has morphed into a tool for absolute control, concentrating authority in the hands of one man to a degree unseen since Mao Tse-tung’s era. This consolidation, while ostensibly aimed at rooting out graft and ensuring loyalty, poses profound dangers not only to China’s internal stability but to the global order. As the West grapples with economic interdependence and geopolitical tensions, from the South China Sea to trade wars, the alarm bells should be ringing louder than ever.
Xi’s ascent to unchallenged power has been methodical and ruthless. By abolishing term limits in 2018, he positioned himself as leader for life, dismantling the collective leadership model that had characterised post-Mao China. This shift has accelerated in recent years, with purges targeting even his closest allies, revealing a paranoia that could unravel the very system he seeks to dominate. The latest wave, erupting in late 2025 and spilling into 2026, underscores the fragility of this personalised rule. If unchecked, it could precipitate a crisis that echoes the tumultuous transitions of authoritarian regimes past, with ramifications felt from London to Taipei.
Purge wave of eliminating rivals
The recent purges have struck at the heart of China’s military and political elite, leaving no doubt about Xi’s intent to forge an unassailable position. In October 2025, the CCP expelled nine of its most senior military leaders, including members of the Central Committee, in a move that rocked the PLA’s command structure. This was followed by the dramatic ousting of General Zhang Youxia, Xi’s longtime ally and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) — the body that oversees the PLA — in January 2026. Zhang, a 72-year-old “princeling” whose father fought alongside Xi’s own in the revolutionary wars, was placed under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law,” a euphemism often masking political disloyalty. Alongside him fell General Liu Zhenli, Chief of the Joint Staff Department, reducing the CMC to a skeletal form: essentially Xi and one remaining loyalist.
These actions are part of a broader pattern. Since Xi’s anti-corruption campaign began, over 4,000 high-ranking officials have been ensnared, including dozens of generals. The PLA, with its two million troops, has been particularly hard-hit, as Xi seeks to transform it from a potentially fractious force into a personal instrument. Reforms since 2015 have centralised command under the CMC, which Xi chairs, ensuring that the military serves the party — and by extension, him — above all else. The purges address not just corruption in procurement and readiness but perceived threats to Xi’s authority. These measures eliminate rivals while instilling fear, as even red princelings like Zhang are not immune.
The wave crested during the CCP’s Fourth Plenum in November 2025, where military purges dominated discussions, signalling “personnel turmoil” amid warnings of “growing uncertainty.” Xi’s rationale is clear: in a system where the PLA is indoctrinated to serve the CCP Chairman, any hint of divided loyalty must be crushed. Yet, this approach risks hollowing out expertise. The PLA’s professional core — comprising officers and non-commissioned officers who guide conscripts — has been repeatedly disrupted, compromising operational effectiveness. Xi’s devilish finesse in political manoeuvres contrasts sharply with the economic stagnation his policies have wrought, but it is this very perspicacity that now endangers the regime’s foundations.
The purges extend beyond the military into the CCP’s civilian apparatus, where Xi has sidelined factions associated with predecessors like Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. By controlling internal security forces, including the People’s Armed Police, Xi has built a “sword arm” for domestic repression, further entrenching his dominance. This concentration echoes historical precedents, from Stalin’s Great Purge to Saddam Hussein’s eliminations, where short-term gains in loyalty masked long-term institutional decay.
Dangers of one-man rule
Xi’s consolidation of power, while impressive in scope, carries inherent perils that could destabilise China from within. The shift from collective leadership to personalist rule has created decision-making bottlenecks, as key choices are elevated to Xi’s inner circle — or to Xi himself. This centralisation risks paralysis, particularly in a nation facing economic slowdown, demographic decline, and external pressures. Xi’s economic vision, wedded to state-heavy models reminiscent of Maoist self-reliance, has prioritised military modernisation over innovation, exacerbating issues like youth unemployment and property crises.
Moreover, the purges breed paranoia and sycophancy rather than genuine allegiance. When even trusted allies like Zhang Youxia are purged — amid rumours of family corruption or foreign ties — the message is clear: no one is safe. This fosters a culture of fear, where officials prioritise survival over effective governance. The PLA, tasked with ambitions like reunifying Taiwan by 2027, now grapples with disrupted chains of command and morale in freefall. US intelligence assessments warn that these internal upheavals could impair military readiness, turning Xi’s strength into a vulnerability.
Paradoxically, Xi’s power grab undermines the CCP’s resilience. Post-Mao reforms emphasised institutional norms to prevent the chaos of one-man rule, but Xi has reversed this, making the system brittle. As power concentrates, so do risks: a single misjudgement could cascade into crisis. Economic policies under Xi have reoriented resources towards unproductive sectors, holding back growth and alienating the middle class. In foreign affairs, his nationalist ideology amplifies tensions, from border disputes with India to assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. The world watches as China’s “Chinese Dream” teeters on the edge of nightmare, driven by a leader whose grip may prove too tight.
Global repercussions and the succession void
The implications of Xi’s autocracy extend far beyond China’s borders, demanding urgent attention from policymakers in Westminster and beyond. A destabilised China, with its economy intertwined with global supply chains, could trigger worldwide economic shocks. The European Union’s trade with China, valued at billions annually, hangs in the balance amid these uncertainties. More alarmingly, a weakened PLA might embolden aggressive posturing to deflect internal woes, heightening risks in flashpoints like Taiwan or the South China Sea.
Yet, the greatest peril lies in the succession vacuum Xi has created. With no designated heir and the 21st National Congress looming in 2027, his refusal to groom a successor invites anarchy upon his eventual departure — whether through natural causes or otherwise. Analysts foresee a “scramble for power” that could fracture the CCP, echoing the post-Mao turmoil but on a grander scale. Xi’s personalisation of rule has made the regime opaque, amplifying global risks: an unstable transition could lead to erratic foreign policy or even conflict as factions vie for control.
For India, Xi’s unrelenting power consolidation spells heightened peril along their shared 3,500 km border, where tensions have simmered since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020. His purges, driven by insecurity, may prompt more aggressive territorial assertions to bolster nationalist fervour at home, as seen in incursions into Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
With the PLA’s command disrupted, miscalculations risk escalating into full-scale conflict, straining India’s resources and alliances. Xi’s centralised decision-making, devoid of dissenting voices, could exacerbate this, turning diplomatic stalemates into flashpoints that undermine regional stability and India’s economic aspirations.
Neighbouring states like Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and ASEAN countries face a double-edged sword from Xi’s iron-fisted rule. Pakistan’s deep entanglement through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor risks deeper debt dependency, with Xi’s unchallenged authority enabling unchecked influence over Islamabad’s policies, potentially fuelling proxy tensions with India.
In Nepal and Bangladesh, China’s Belt and Road Initiative has expanded under Xi, fostering political leverage that could sway elections or border disputes, eroding sovereignty amid economic allure.
For ASEAN nations, Xi’s personal grip intensifies assertiveness in the South China Sea, where militarised islands challenge maritime rights, heightening naval confrontations and fracturing regional unity as economic coercion silences dissent.
Russia, China’s strategic partner in countering Western dominance, may find Xi’s purges a mixed blessing. While his consolidated power strengthens the Sino-Russian axis — evident in joint military drills and energy deals — it exposes underlying mistrust, with Moscow wary of becoming the junior partner in a relationship tilted by China’s economic might.
Internal instability from Xi’s one-man rule could lead to erratic support for Russia’s Ukraine campaign or rivalries in Central Asia, risking fractures in their “no-limits” partnership and emboldening global challengers.
Xi Jinping’s iron grip represents a perilous gamble. By concentrating authority in one person, he has engineered a system vulnerable to caprice and collapse. The purges may buy time, but they erode the foundations of stability. For the sake of global peace and prosperity, the international community must prepare for the storm that could follow. China under Xi is not an unstoppable juggernaut but a colossus with feet of clay — and the cracks are widening by the day.
The author is a senior journalist and writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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