To see the original video, please visit the FinalWar’s YouTube channel here.
Xi Jinping, once hailed as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, is now facing the stark reality of a regime that has turned against him. Behind the polished facade of Communist Party unity, a silent but decisive power shift has taken place — one that has not only reshaped China’s internal politics but could alter the course of its relations with the world.
The cracks beneath Xi’s rule
For over a decade, Xi consolidated power through sweeping purges, tight media control, and an aggressive foreign policy that drew China closer to Russia while alienating the West. But this centralized rule bred resentment, isolation, and — ultimately — betrayal from within.
According to bombshell intelligence reported by Russian and U.S. sources, Xi’s position weakened dramatically over the past year. A Russian-linked account known as “General SVR,” often associated with Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, posted on June 12: “Xi Jinping is the weakest link in this geopolitical chessboard. His declining health undermines China’s role in this alliance.”
The account also warned of an imminent leadership change, suggesting that “the new leaders are expected to be far more liberal, and likely to cooperate with the West — undermining both Russia and Iran.”
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This intelligence dovetails with reports of Xi’s declining health. The same source claimed Xi suffered a heart attack between May 25 and 26, followed by two angina episodes. While his inner circle tried to project stability, the truth became harder to mask.
A military no longer his own
Xi’s control over the military — once a cornerstone of his rule — has also slipped. In a June 9 article published by “The Washington Times,” China expert Bill Gertz cited a U.S. Air Force think tank report highlighting how General Zhang Youxia, China’s most senior military officer, doubted the army’s ability to fulfill Xi’s directive to prepare for a Taiwan invasion.
The report further noted that “flawed military leadership, poor coordination between civilian and military sectors in wartime scenarios, and a clear lack of readiness for joint or information warfare” had eroded confidence in Xi’s plans.
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Zhang, once Xi’s enforcer during military purges, quietly resisted further involvement in Xi’s risky maneuvers. As Xi’s health and influence waned, Zhang reemerged as a key stabilizing force, bridging ties to reformist leaders like Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao.
The failed purge that backfired
Xi’s decline did not happen overnight. It can be traced back to a critical moment at the 20th Party Congress in October 2022. Xi had planned a sweeping purge of 15 senior officials he viewed as disloyal. But the plot was leaked — shockingly, from within his own trusted circle.
The whistleblower was Chen Min’er, a once-loyal Party Secretary of Chongqing. During a confidential meeting, Chen asked: “Isn’t arresting fifteen people going too far?” That question triggered a chain of events that unraveled Xi’s scheme. Chen covertly alerted reformist elders, including Wen Jiabao. Meanwhile, General Zhang Youxia refused to deploy military force to support Xi’s plan.
RELATED: The Mysterious Death of Li Keqiang and the Fractures Splitting China’s Leadership
Consolidating power
The world watched the visible collapse of Xi’s power during the Congress when former President Hu Jintao was unceremoniously escorted off stage after resisting Xi’s personnel choices. This incident, caught live on camera, became an enduring symbol of the internal resistance Xi now faced.
The final blow came during the Third Plenum of the 20th Central Committee in July 2024. On the second day of the high-level meeting, Xi suffered a stroke. The plenum abruptly ended, with state media attempting to paper over the disruption, claiming the session had “concluded successfully.” But Xi disappeared from public view for weeks.
When he resurfaced on August 19, meeting Vietnam’s Communist Party leader, sharp-eyed observers noted a visible surgical scar on Xi’s head — evidence of recent brain surgery. His frailty was no longer deniable. During his absence, Xi’s loyalists were purged, and General Zhang Youxia quietly resumed control of the military.
Reformists reclaim the stage
The clearest sign of Xi’s diminished status came during China’s 2024 National Day banquet. Fifteen retired senior leaders — including reformist icons Wen Jiabao and Li Ruihuan — shared the head table with Xi, appearing relaxed and jovial. The message was unmistakable: the elders were back in charge. Xi, once the unquestioned figurehead of Chinese power, was surrounded by those who had reclaimed it.
Xi’s downfall was not the result of a single event. It reflected deep systemic failures. His economic policies — Common Prosperity, tech crackdowns, and zero-COVID lockdowns — crippled growth and spurred record unemployment. His military purges failed to secure genuine loyalty, leading to elite defections. Diplomatically, his alignment with Russia and confrontational “wolf warrior” diplomacy alienated former partners and emboldened adversaries.
An imminent collapse?
What we’re seeing now is not merely a change of leadership but a fundamental rebalancing within the Chinese Communist Party. Reformists, with the military’s quiet backing, have outmaneuvered Xi — not with tanks or bloodshed, but through strategy, patience, and precise timing.
The implications of Xi’s fall stretch far beyond Beijing. A new, more liberal leadership could alter China’s stance on Taiwan, its approach to the West, and its relationship with Russia. But this transition also reveals the fragility of autocratic systems built on personal rule rather than institutions.
Xi’s story is one of hubris, overreach, and the brutal arithmetic of internal power struggles. His rise may have seemed unstoppable — but in the end, the very machinery he used to crush rivals was turned against him.
To see the original video, please visit the FinalWar’s YouTube channel here.
