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China and Taiwan
With our military busy around Venezuela and the Middle East, wouldn’t this seem to be the best time for China to launch an invasion of Taiwan? I’m not sure what the preparations for that would be on the Chinese side, and if there would be signs that they may be ready to make a move.
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https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/02/03/world/asia/china-xi-military-purge.html
China’s Disappearing Generals
By Amy Chang Chien, Agnes Chang and Chris Buckley
Feb. 3, 2026
China’s military leadership stood before the nation in March 2023, an image of unity behind Xi Jinping. After nearly a decade in power, Mr. Xi had installed the high command that he wanted: loyalists hand-picked to make the People’s Liberation Army a world-class force.
But not even Mr. Xi’s loyalists have been spared from his sweeping campaign to clean up the military — with purges that are ostensibly focused on corruption but are also about fealty to him. One by one, members of the Central Military Commission have been dismissed and put under investigation. The latest was Gen. Zhang Youxia, Mr. Xi’s top general.
Mr. Xi has also removed dozens of other senior military officials in just under three years, a level of upheaval unmatched in modern Chinese history. Here is a picture of the likely extent of the purges across the military forces, based on a New York Times analysis of Chinese state media reports and official announcements.
...
China’s Disappearing Generals
By Amy Chang Chien, Agnes Chang and Chris Buckley
Feb. 3, 2026
China’s military leadership stood before the nation in March 2023, an image of unity behind Xi Jinping. After nearly a decade in power, Mr. Xi had installed the high command that he wanted: loyalists hand-picked to make the People’s Liberation Army a world-class force.
But not even Mr. Xi’s loyalists have been spared from his sweeping campaign to clean up the military — with purges that are ostensibly focused on corruption but are also about fealty to him. One by one, members of the Central Military Commission have been dismissed and put under investigation. The latest was Gen. Zhang Youxia, Mr. Xi’s top general.
Mr. Xi has also removed dozens of other senior military officials in just under three years, a level of upheaval unmatched in modern Chinese history. Here is a picture of the likely extent of the purges across the military forces, based on a New York Times analysis of Chinese state media reports and official announcements.
...