War on the Rocks Power, Paranoia, and the People's Liberation Army
Feb 19, 2026
Joel Wuff, analyst at the National Defense University; Peter Mattis, China-focused former CIA analyst and Jamestown Foundation president; John Zinn, Brookings China politics specialist; Dennis Wilder, veteran CIA China analyst now in academia. They unpack PLA purges, the political control of the military, implications for readiness and corruption, and how leadership turnover reshapes signaling and risk calculations abroad.
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Invest In Sustained China Expertise
- Rebuild China expertise by funding sustained, day-to-day analysis and publishing outlets.
- Support language training and in-country experience to produce analysts who can track fine-grained propaganda signals.
Broad Purge Equals Systemic Overhaul
- Xi Jinping has been conducting a broad, multi-year purge across the PLA that goes beyond isolated corruption cases.
- The recent investigations of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli signal a deeper political and readiness-driven overhaul of military leadership.
From Rival Purges To Purging Allies
- Xi shifted from purging rivals to removing associates, including people he personally elevated.
- Purging trusted allies indicates Xi's priority is absolute control over the military, not just settling scores.