On Saturday (24th), Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia of the Central Military Commission and member of the Military Commission Liu Zhenli were officially removed from their positions. The Chinese Communist Party’s military newspaper published an unusually harsh editorial that evening, condemning Zhang and Liu. Pro-democracy leader Sheng Xue posted on social media, citing information from sources inside China, revealing that Zhang and Liu were arrested for an “attempted coup,” which has “seriously frightened Xi Jinping.”
Central Political Bureau member and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia, and member of the Central Military Commission Liu Zhenli, were suddenly announced to have been removed from their positions on the afternoon of the 24th. The CCP military newspaper then issued a statement, condemning Zhang and Liu for “seriously betraying the trust of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, seriously trampling and destroying the Chairman’s responsibility system of the Military Commission,” as well as “endangering the Party’s governing foundation,” among other accusations.
In response, Sheng Xue revealed on social media, “My friend (pseudonym Mr. X) notified me on January 19th that Zhang Youxia had been arrested, suggesting something major might have happened in the CCP.” However, she was busy attending a meeting in Ottawa at the time, so she only recorded her conversation with her friend.
During the conversation between Sheng Xue and her mainland Chinese friend Mr. X, he disclosed: “Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were preparing to take action against Xi Jinping on the evening of January 18, 2026, in Beijing. That day, Xi Jinping was preparing to stay at the Jingxi Guesthouse in Beijing. Over the past few years, he has been ‘constantly moving around, changing places every other day.'”
“Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were planning to arrest Xi Jinping, scheduled to take action on the evening of January 18. However, the mission was leaked in the two hours before the operation. That day, Xi Jinping was at the Jingxi Guesthouse. They thought it would be easy to catch him there, but someone tipped him off two hours before the arrest.”
“Xi Jinping immediately left the Jingxi Guesthouse without drawing attention and quietly prepared for the arrest operation.”
However, “Zhang Youxia’s side was unaware that the information had leaked to Xi Jinping. The vanguard personnel they dispatched to take action had already arrived at the Jingxi Guesthouse, leading to a confrontation between them and Xi Jinping’s security personnel, resulting in casualties on both sides.”
It is unclear where Zhang’s forces were located, whether they were strategically placed in one location or dispersed.
Mr. X said, “A problem is that if Xi stays here, they would send soldiers. Since Xi often stays at the Jingxi Guesthouse and then goes to the Zhongnanhai or other places. He rarely stays in one place for two nights. Online rumors say that Xi deliberately lured Zhang Youxia out. There is some truth to this.”
“Xi immediately took action to arrest Zhang Youxia and Liu after learning two h…
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Overall, the attempted assassination of Xi Jinping by Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli has shaken the CCP’s internal circles. The situation reveals the intricate power struggles and paranoia within the Chinese regime. Through the voices of insiders like Mr. X and analysts like Sheng Xue, it is evident that Xi Jinping’s grip on power is facing challenges, and the consequences of this power struggle remain to be seen.