After Xi's Crackdown on Zhang Youxia, Why Are Investigations, Research, and Visits So Infrequent?

Xi Jinping appeared to walk with difficulty during his visit to France. (Video screenshot)

[People News] Earlier this year, the announcement that Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, Chief of Joint Staff of the Military Commission, had fallen from grace sent shockwaves both domestically and internationally, causing further upheaval within the Chinese Communist Party and the military. This has led to speculation that Xi has regained some of his power. Since then, news about Xi has once again dominated the media headlines, seemingly supporting this notion.

However, it is quite unusual that since late January, Xi Jinping's instances of conducting investigations and research, as well as his overseas visits, have been remarkably few, which stands in stark contrast to the previous four years.

In 2026, Xi made a single visit to the Xiong'an New Area in Hebei, near Beijing, for an inspection on March 23. Aside from a few staged indoor appearances, he remained in the car for the entirety of the outdoor activities. The other three research activities all took place in Beijing and were scheduled before the traditional Chinese New Year, following a yearly routine.

In 2025, Xi conducted research in Guangdong in early November, in Shanxi in early July, inspected Luoyang in Henan in late May, visited Shanghai in late April, and went to Guizhou and Yunnan for research in mid to late March. He also completed the traditional New Year visit in Liaoning in late January. Overall, he spent six months of the year visiting other cities.

In 2024, Xi Jinping conducted inspections, research, or visits in various locations: mid to late December in Macau, early November in Hubei, mid-October in Fujian and Anhui, mid-September in Shaanxi and Gansu, mid to late June in Qinghai and Ningxia, late May in Shandong, late April in Chongqing, mid to late March in Hunan, and early February in Tianjin. Over the course of the year, Xi showcased his presence in local areas for nine months.

In 2023, despite the breakdown of pandemic control measures, Xi's travels to other regions continued unabated. He was in Guangxi in mid-December, Hebei in mid-November, Jiangxi in mid-October, Zhejiang in late September, Heilongjiang in early September, Xinjiang at the end of August, Sichuan at the end of July, Jiangsu in early July, Inner Mongolia in early June, and in mid-May he visited Hebei, Shanxi, and Shaanxi, as well as conducting inspections and research in Guangdong in mid-April. He also spent nine months in local areas throughout the year.

Regarding Xi's overseas visits, since 2026, he has not made a single overseas trip in nearly four months.

In 2025, Xi attended the 32nd informal leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in South Korea from late October to early November, where he met with foreign leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. In mid-June, he travelled to Kazakhstan to attend the second China-Central Asia Summit and met with the leaders of the five Central Asian countries. From May 7 to 10, he visited Russia, and in mid-April, he visited Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia.

In mid-November 2024, Xi Jinping will travel to Peru to attend the 31st informal meeting of APEC leaders. Following this, he will participate in the 19th G20 summit and conduct a state visit to Brazil, where he is expected to meet with leaders from various countries. In late October, he will attend the 16th BRICS leaders' meeting in Russia. Earlier, in early July, he will take part in the SCO summit in Kazakhstan. In May, he is scheduled to visit France, Serbia, and Hungary.

In mid-December 2023, Xi will visit Vietnam. In mid-November, he will travel to the United States to attend the APEC meeting. In August, he will visit South Africa to participate in the BRICS summit. In late March, he will make a trip to Russia.

It is evident that Xi is set to make four foreign visits each year from 2023 to 2025, with at least one visit planned before the end of May. However, as of now, it seems that by April 2026, Xi has not undertaken any foreign visits, and there has been no official announcement regarding his travel plans for May.

In comparison to the previous three years, there is a noticeable decline in Xi's foreign inspections and visits in 2026. What could be the reasons behind this trend? The author suggests that there are likely two main factors:

Firstly, Xi's grip on power appears to be unstable. Following the removal of Zhang Youxia and the initiation of a new wave of purges within the party and military, Xi has faced increased dissatisfaction among various factions. Concerned for his own safety and wary of potential power shifts upon leaving Beijing, Xi has opted to remain in the capital.

Secondly, Xi's health appears to be deteriorating. His decision to remain in the car during the trip to Xiong'an, the cognitive difficulties he exhibited while meeting with Taiwan's Kuomintang Chairman Zheng Liwen, and the delays in his meetings with the Prime Minister of Spain and the President of Mozambique all indicate a significant issue: Xi's health problems are being deliberately concealed by the Communist Party of China.

Regardless of the reasons behind it, the infrequency of Xi's inspections and visits to other regions is indeed unusual. Other senior officials within the Communist Party of China are likely aware of this situation and may be concerned about a pressing question: if an unexpected event were to occur suddenly, what would be the implications for Chinese society?

(First published in People News)△