Xi’s purge of top generals may set back his Taiwan ambitions

China’s leader Xi Jinping has eviscerated the People’s Liberation Army’s high command by placing Gen. Zhang Youxia under investigation last week, a move reported on Jan. 29, 2026, that followed the ousting of other senior officers including Gen. Liu Zhenli. The two generals were accused of “grave violations of discipline and the law,” an editorial in the Chinese military’s newspaper said, but it provided no specifics.

Dozens of other generals and admirals have been detained or disappeared over the past three years, and Mr. Xi now has wide latitude to choose a new cohort of commanders. Analysts say the shake-up secures Mr. Xi’s control of the military but also hollows out the command structure that would prepare for a possible war over Taiwan.

The purge could complicate Mr. Xi’s plan to modernize the military by 2027 and — according to some American intelligence officials cited in the report — the target date for gaining the ability to invade Taiwan successfully. Former intelligence and defense officials quoted in the report warned of disruptions and delays.

John Culver said Mr. Xi has “wiped the table clean” and will likely need years to nurture a new generation of loyal officers; Drew Thompson warned that new commanders might give the leader flatter advice rather than candid assessments. The article notes that General Zhang had been seen as close to Mr.

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