Xi Kicks an Iron Plate: Arrest of Zhang and Liu Sparks Military Discontent and Party Backlash

Xi Kicks an Iron Plate: Arrest of Zhang and Liu Sparks Military Discontent and Party Backlash

[People News]The arrest of Zhang Youxia has completely shattered internal Party consensus. As a representative of the “red second generation,” Zhang comes from a deeply rooted family with close ties to military elders and the Communist Youth League faction. This move is seen as upsetting the balance and is bound to provoke dissatisfaction and collective pushback from princelings (and even the third generation), the Youth League faction, and Party elders.

Recently, rumors have been swirling in China’s political circles. On January 24, news circulated on overseas internet platforms claiming that troops from various theater commands were being mobilized toward Beijing via expressways. According to leaks, Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin bypassed normal command channels and directly phoned brigade-level commanders in the Central Theater Command, ordering them to rush to the capital to “defend the Party Central Committee.” Are these troops supporting Xi Jinping, or siding with the faction of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, who were just announced to be under investigation for serious disciplinary and legal violations? At the same time, a document titled “A Letter to the People of the Nation Jointly Signed by Anti-Xi PLA Generals” has been circulating online, calling on the entire military and populace to rise up and overthrow the current regime, and labeling January 24, 2026 as “a day that will go down in history,” directly accusing Xi Jinping of “tyranny.”

This “Letter to the People” lists alleged crimes: using anti-corruption to eliminate political opponents, using the “strong nation dream” to implement dictatorship, and using “common prosperity” to plunder the people’s wealth. It calls on soldiers to lay down their weapons, workers to strike and march, and farmers to take up hoes and sickles to join the uprising. Overseas self-media outlets view it as a declaration from anti-Xi forces, linking it to Zhang Youxia’s downfall.

However, most of this information comes from overseas anti-CCP platforms and is filled with unverified rumors. The falls of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were indeed officially announced by the Ministry of National Defense, but details about troop movements are limited to anonymous posts on X, with no confirmation from mainstream or official sources. On the contrary, a military website editorial the same day emphasized “winning the tough and protracted battle against corruption within the military,” which sounds more like setting the tone for a purge than acknowledging any conspiracy.

Since coming to power, Xi Jinping has exercised iron-fisted control over the military, carrying out multiple rounds of purges that removed top leaders such as Li Shangfu and Miao Hua. Now only Zhang Shengmin remains relatively stable on the Central Military Commission. If the rumors are true, arresting Zhang Youxia—described as an “old family friend”—would indeed mean Xi has kicked a “military iron plate.” Zhang Youxia controlled the Joint Staff Department; his downfall exposes deep factional struggles and may trigger doubts at the grassroots level. The Central Theater Command safeguards the capital, and if slogans about “taking down Xi Jinping” are circulating, that would go far beyond the scope of anti-corruption.

More crucially, arresting Zhang Youxia has completely broken Party consensus. As a representative of the red second generation, Zhang’s family background is profound, with close ties to military elders and the Youth League faction. This move is seen as disrupting the balance and is bound to arouse dissatisfaction and collective counterattacks from princelings, the Youth League faction, and Party elders. This is the real “iron plate”—not merely military discontent, but a rebound across the entire Party ecosystem. The purge has moved from the margins to the core, touching the bottom line of power, causing everyone in Zhongnanhai to feel at risk and potentially triggering broader factional confrontation. Overseas analysis claims the deeper logic is “de-factionalization,” paving the way for absolute loyalty, but also brewing backlash.

Rationally speaking, these rumors should be treated with caution. China’s internet censorship is strict; if there really were a military “Letter to the People,” it would have been immediately suppressed. It is more likely to be propaganda fabricated overseas to amplify contradictions and create panic. Similar “letter-style” incidents appear frequently but often lack solid evidence.

If Xi Jinping has truly kicked an iron plate, it may not be the uprising itself but the backlash from his anti-corruption strategy. Continuous purges have weakened the efficiency of the Central Military Commission (now reportedly down to two members, making it difficult to command large-scale exercises), which could lead to a collapse of loyalty. The unclear intentions behind troop movements toward Beijing highlight outside doubts about his control. Against a backdrop of economic downturn and rising public resentment, this uncertainty further intensifies political instability.

In short, whether true or false, this incident exposes the brutality of high-level power struggles. Xi Jinping may believe purges can secure his rule forever, but history shows that iron-fisted tactics often end in hitting an iron plate. If factional dissatisfaction ferments, the “strong nation dream” may turn into Xi Jinping’s dream of national ruin. The truth may emerge through official silence and subsequent actions—let us wait and see. △