Summary
- Xi Jinping’s mysterious absence from public view since early June, including skipping the 2025 BRICS Summit, has raised speculation about internal unrest within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
- A sweeping military purge, reduced state media coverage, and the resurgence of Hu Jintao-era figures signal a possible recalibration of power behind Beijing’s closed doors.
- The return of technocrats like Wang Yang and reports of General Zhang Youxia gaining control of the PLA hint at either Xi Jinping consolidating further—or losing control.
The Vanishing of Xi Jinping: A Political Earthquake in the Making?
In a nation where visibility equals power, Xi Jinping’s extended absence from the public stage has triggered an international guessing game: Is China’s most powerful leader since Mao losing his grip?
The question has grown louder after Xi Jinping skipped the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio, a first since taking office in 2013. Instead, Premier Li Qiang represented Beijing—a break from the norm in a summit that China traditionally uses to assert its leadership in the Global South.
Since June 4, Xi Jinping has appeared in just two pre-recorded videos, a silence that breaks with a decade-long pattern of daily state media coverage. His last known engagement was with Singapore’s Prime Minister on June 24, after a 22-day media blackout.
In a country where the leader’s every move is choreographed to signal authority, this silence is deafening—and possibly indicative of a crack in the CCP’s central command.
🚨EXCLUSIVE: MASSIVE POWER STRUGGLE IN BEIJING – Is Xi Jinping's grip CRUMBLING?
— Rod D. Martin (@RodDMartin) June 8, 2025
After vanishing for 14 days, Xi reappears looking WEAK. Sources suggest internal CCP chaos.
Here's what you need to know…
🧵THREAD pic.twitter.com/QrcGcvQDpc
Military Purge or Power Struggle? The PLA Under Siege
- Top generals like He Weidong, Miao Hua, and Lin Xiangyang have been abruptly dismissed.
- Leadership changes have swept across the Rocket Force and Western Theatre Command.
- General Zhang Youxia, once Xi’s loyalist, is now seen consolidating PLA control—possibly aligned with Hu Jintao’s faction.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a traditional stronghold of Xi’s authority, is now in flux. Since early 2023, a silent but aggressive purge has unseated some of the top brass, often under vague charges of “disciplinary violations.”
The purge has not been accompanied by the triumphant tone usually seen when Xi Jinping consolidates power. Instead, the atmosphere is tense and the messaging—muted. Military watchers are now focusing on General Zhang Youxia, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who appears to be rising in influence, possibly with backing from Hu Jintao-era loyalists.
If true, this shift could suggest a redistribution of military power, either sanctioned by Xi or imposed in response to waning control.
Echoes of Hu Jintao: Return of the Reformers?
- Hu Jintao was publicly humiliated in 2022—now his allies appear to be gaining ground.
- Technocrat Wang Yang is rumoured to be rising again, representing a pro-market, less confrontational agenda.
- Could this signal a quiet push to reshape the CCP’s top tier?
Few can forget the unsettling scene from the 2022 Party Congress, where a visibly confused Hu Jintao was escorted out in front of Xi and top leaders. It was interpreted as a live-action symbol of Xi’s complete dominance.
But that image is being challenged now. Reports of Wang Yang’s resurgence—a reform-minded technocrat once tipped to succeed Xi—are fuelling speculation of a Hu-led counterbalance re-emerging. Wang is said to embody a softer, pro-market approach that contrasts with Xi’s centralist, security-first economic style.
If Wang is indeed being “groomed” as a viable future leader, it may reflect growing discontent within the CCP elite over Xi’s hardline policies, economic missteps, and global isolationism.
Vanishing Acts and Media Shifts: All Is Not Well in Beijing
- Xi’s state media presence has sharply dropped—breaking a near-daily visibility streak.
- A state TV segment briefly omitted Xi’s titles—a mistake that was rapidly corrected.
- When Xi reappeared in June, foreign media noted his tired look and reduced security entourage.
In a party-state like China, the absence of symbolism is itself symbolic. Xi’s disappearance isn’t just about physical absence—it’s about eroding narrative control.
His June appearance with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko was described by foreign observers as “tired” and “distracted.” Security analysts noted that Xi’s usual detail had been halved. That’s unheard of for a man who built his regime on hyper-loyalty and personal control.
Even state media appears confused. CCTV, in a recent broadcast, briefly omitted Xi’s official titles—President, Party Secretary, and CMC Chairman. It was quickly corrected, but in China’s scripted media ecosystem, such mistakes are rare—and potentially telling.
The Final Question: Is Xi Still in Command?
The central mystery remains: Is Xi Jinping consolidating further behind the curtain, or is he being quietly eclipsed by a coalition of old-guard reformers and military actors?
The CCP’s opaque inner workings offer few definitive answers. But history shows that in authoritarian systems, prolonged absences are rarely accidental—and always significant.
As global powers watch and speculate, one truth holds: In Beijing, silence often speaks the loudest.
