China’s sudden removal of senior military leaders, including allegations that a top general leaked sensitive information to the United States, is raising new questions about internal turmoil inside the Chinese Communist Party and the readiness of the People’s Liberation Army.

Experts told Fox News Digital that while many details remain unclear, the scope of the apparent purge points to mounting instability under Chinese President Xi Jinping, with potential implications for regional security and rising tensions around Taiwan.

Beijing has not publicly confirmed espionage allegations, but reports published in Western media describe an extraordinary shakeup within China’s military leadership. Analysts caution that the lack of transparency makes definitive conclusions difficult, yet say the pattern of removals itself signals a system under strain.

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Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the non-partisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the developments appear driven by political control rather than an imminent move toward conflict.

«These unprecedented purges reflect Xi’s clear focus on control and cohesion — ensuring the People’s Liberation Army is politically reliable, centralized and obedient before it can be tasked with high-risk operations,» Singleton told Fox News Digital.

«This does not mean conflict is imminent, but it does show how seriously Xi treats the prospect of having to use the military in the coming years.»

Singleton said some observers have compared the developments to past authoritarian crackdowns, but argued a different historical parallel is more instructive.

«Some analysts are comparing these developments to Stalin-era purges in the late 1930s. There certainly are echoes, but I think the closer analogy is Moscow in 1979 — when Soviet political leaders pushed for the invasion of Afghanistan despite strong military warnings that it would be unsustainable and devolve into a costly guerrilla war.»

He warned that China may now be facing a similar disconnect between political leadership and military reality.

«Xi’s purges may reflect a similar dynamic: political urgency to speed up invasion planning over Taiwan colliding with a military that senior Chinese officers know isn’t ready yet.»

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviews the troops during his inspection of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army PLA garrison stationed in the Macao Special Administrative Region, south China, Dec. 20, 2024. (Li Gang/Xinhua via Getty Images)

China expert Gordon Chang, told Fox News Digital the uncertainty surrounding the purge highlights the depth of instability inside China’s system.

«There’s no way to make sense of this right now,» Chang said. «All we can say is that the situation is fluid, that the regime is in turmoil, and probably the People’s Liberation Army is not ready to engage in major operations because dozens of senior officers have been either arrested or removed.»

«This is an extraordinary situation,» he added. «And this means that China, the country itself, not just the regime, but the country itself is unstable.»

Chang also addressed reports alleging that a senior Chinese general was accused of providing sensitive nuclear-related material to the United States, claims that have not been officially substantiated by Beijing.

«The Wall Street Journal reported that the Ministry of National Defense has accused General Zhang Xiaoxiao of providing core technical material on China’s nuclear weapons to the United States,» Chang said.

«That is really extraordinary. It also doesn’t sound right, because General Zhang just would not have that many opportunities to pass that type of material to the U.S.»

Chang emphasized that his assessment was speculative. «This is just a guess, this is speculation,» he said, adding that such accusations may serve as justification for harsh internal punishment rather than reflect confirmed espionage.

He also pointed to past intelligence failures to underscore his skepticism. «We know that the CIA has not had a good track record in China,» Chang said, noting that about 30 CIA assets were executed after being uncovered several years ago.

«It would be stunning that the CIA has been able to reconstitute itself and get that type of material from one of the most senior figures in the Chinese regime,» he said. «At this point I have to say that trust but verify.»

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Members of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy march during the rehearsal ahead of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, Sept. 3, 2025. (Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)

The continued removal of high-ranking officers, Chang argued, points to deeper fractures within the Communist Party itself.

«We are seeing a whole class of leadership being junked,» he said, noting that the detained general was the most senior uniformed officer in China and second only to Xi Jinping within the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission. «To arrest and detain him is extraordinary by itself.»

Singleton said that while purges may weaken China’s military in the short term, they could create greater risk over time.

«Purges can degrade near-term readiness, but over the long-term they increase political control over the military and reduce dissent, easing the path for riskier decisions down the line,» he said.

Turning to Taiwan, Chang said a deliberate invasion remains unlikely given the current turmoil and the complexity of such an operation.

«I have never thought it was likely China would start hostilities by invading the main island of Taiwan,» he said, citing the challenges of a combined air, land and sea assault and the instability inside the military.

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The military exercises mobilizing the Chinese PLA Navy, Army, Air Force and the Chinese Coast Guards, which are deemed as a punishment to Taiwan’s call for independence. (Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Still, he warned that instability does not mean reduced danger. «Although it’s unlikely that China would start hostilities deliberately, it’s highly probable that China will end up in a war,» Chang said.

«Not like it’s China deliberately starting one, but China stumbling into one.»

«I don’t think Xi Jinping is in a position to de-escalate a situation because of the turmoil in the Chinese political system,» he added.

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U.S. President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on Oct. 30, 2025 in Busan, South Korea. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Taken together, analysts say the military shakeup underscores a growing paradox inside Beijing: as Xi tightens political control, instability may deepen rather than fade, increasing the risk of miscalculation at a time of heightened regional tension.

China’s embassy spokesperson in Washington D.C., Liu Pengyu, told Fox News Digital, «The Party Central Committee has decided to open disciplinary and supervisory investigations into Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law. This decision once again underscores that the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission maintain a full-coverage, zero-tolerance approach to combating corruption. Corruption is a major obstacle to the progress of the Party’s and the nation’s cause. The more resolutely the people’s armed forces fight corruption, the stronger, more united and capable they become.»

Filipinas expresó el lunes su alarma ante China por los recientes intercambios acalorados entre diplomáticos de ambos países en Manila, en el contexto de la prolongada disputa territorial en el mar del Sur de China. El Departamento de Asuntos Exteriores filipino informó que presentó firmes representaciones al embajador chino y a la embajada de China, transmitiendo “serias preocupaciones por la escalada de intercambios públicos”.

La cancillería filipina advirtió que el tono cada vez más contundente y de represalia con Beijing podría “desviar innecesariamente el espacio diplomático necesario para gestionar las tensiones en el ámbito marítimo”. A pesar de ello, manifestó su respaldo a los funcionarios, incluidos senadores, que han defendido los intereses nacionales en la zona en disputa.

El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de China comunicó la semana pasada que convocó al embajador filipino Jaime Flor Cruz para protestar por declaraciones del portavoz de la guardia costera filipina, el comodoro Jay Tarriela, quien se ha mostrado especialmente crítico respecto a la postura china en la región.

China reclama casi toda la vía fluvial, una ruta esencial para el comercio global, aunque un fallo de arbitraje internacional de 2016, basado en la Convención de Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar de 1982, invalidó las reclamaciones extensivas de Beijing. China no participó en ese arbitraje iniciado por Filipinas en 2013 y continúa rechazando su resultado.

A la disputa también se han sumado Vietnam, Malasia, Brunei y Taiwán, que mantienen reclamaciones sobre partes del mar del Sur de China. Las confrontaciones marítimas entre China y Filipinas han aumentado, especialmente en los últimos años. A diferencia de otros países reclamantes, el gobierno filipino ha denunciado públicamente las maniobras chinas y ha difundido videos e imágenes que muestran el uso de cañones de agua y bloqueos peligrosos atribuidos a las fuerzas de China.

La cancillería filipina reiteró su apoyo a los funcionarios nacionales y subrayó que las opiniones, tanto de sus representantes como de quienes discrepan, forman parte de la “robusta pluralidad de ideas” en una sociedad democrática.

Por su parte, la embajada de China protestó por las declaraciones de Tarriela, acusándolo de “exagerar los problemas marítimos, confundir el bien y el mal, tergiversar los hechos, incitar a la confrontación, engañar a la opinión pública y socavar los intereses y la dignidad nacionales de China”. El portavoz adjunto de la embajada, Guo Wei, calificó de “ignorantes y arrogantes” las opiniones de Tarriela.

Tarriela respondió a Guo Wei en una publicación en redes sociales, señalando: “Estoy empezando a pensar que disfrutas usar las redes sociales aquí en Filipinas porque no tienes tal libertad en tu país”.

La senadora Risa Hontiveros afirmó que los diplomáticos chinos han violado la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas al intentar restringir las declaraciones y críticas de funcionarios filipinos en territorio nacional. Hontiveros calificó a la embajada china como “un mal invitado” en Filipinas.

En respuesta, la misión diplomática china manifestó que no busca silenciar a nadie, pero reaccionará ante intentos de “difamar” a China y a sus líderes. La embajada cuestionó a Hontiveros, quien es vista como posible candidata en las elecciones presidenciales y vicepresidenciales de 2028, preguntando: “¿Realmente estás defendiendo el interés de Filipinas y los filipinos? ¿O simplemente estás persiguiendo tus propios beneficios políticos?”.

(Con información de AP)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday publicly backed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and federal law enforcement leaders operating in Minnesota as tensions flare following Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. 

Trump announced Monday that he would deploy border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota, prompting questions about whether the move reflected any frustration with the officials already overseeing the response on the ground.

«Secretary Noem still has the utmost confidence and trust of the president of the United States, and she’s continuing to oversee the entire Department of Homeland Security and all of the immigration enforcement that’s taking place across the whole entire country,» Leavitt said during a press briefing Monday when asked if the president was dissatisfied with how the officials on the ground handled the shooting. 

The Department of Homeland Security oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), meaning Noem was juggling the immigration crackdown as well as a massive snow storm that rocked a large portion of the U.S. Sunday. 

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«Of course, Secretary Noem is also in charge of FEMA, and we are in the wake of a brutal winter storm where hundreds of thousands of Americans have been impacted by that,» Leavitt continued. «So border czar Homan is in a unique position to drop everything and go to Minnesota to continue having these productive conversations with state and local officials. And I know that he’s catching a plane in just a few hours to do just that.» 

Leavitt also defended senior United States Border Patrol Commander Gregor Bovino during the press conference, calling him a «wonderful man, and he’s a great professional.»

«He is going to have very much continue to lead Customs and Border Patrol, throughout and across the country,» Leavitt said. «Mr. Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis to follow up.» 

President Donald Trump said earlier Monday that he was deploying the border czar to Minnesota and that he would report directly to the president, sparking questions over whether Trump’s confidence in his federal immigration law enforcement officials was slipping. 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at press conference to discuss ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, at One World Trade Center in New York City, Jan. 8, 2026.  (David ‘Dee’ Delgado/Reuters)

«I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight. He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,» Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Leavitt told Fox Digital that «Homan will be managing ICE operations on the ground in Minnesota and coordinating with others on the ongoing fraud investigations,» but did not add whether the president has lost confidence in current leadership on the ground. 

A protester is detained by Federal agents near the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Adam Gray) (Adam Gray/The Associated Press )

Tensions in Minnesota further flared over the weekend when 37-year-old Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol Saturday. Federal authorities say Pretti, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, approached agents with a 9 mm handgun and did not cooperate when they tried to disarm him. 

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The fatal shooting follows another fatal shooting on Jan. 7 of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Good’s and Pretti’s deaths have spurred an outpouring of condemnation and outrage from critics of the administration, arguing the government has blood on its hands and heightening protest confrontations with law enforcement officials. 

Leavitt added Monday that Homan has the «full trust and faith of the president» as he travels to Minnesota and continues delivering on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. 

«Mr. Homan is the point person for cooperating with state and local authorities and corresponding with them again, to achieve this level of cooperation, to subdue the chaos on the streets of Minneapolis,» she said. «And I would just point out that Mr. Homan is someone who has been lauded for many, many decades for his experience working in law enforcement.»

Leavitt pointed to an old Washington Post headline celebrating Homan a decade ago. 

«In fact, this is a Washington Post headline from nine years ago, 2016: Meet the man the White House is honored for deporting illegal immigrants. And I would remind everyone in this room that it was former President Barack Hussein Obama who awarded a medal to Mr. Homan,» she continued. 

Federal immigration officers deploy tear gas at protesters after a shooting Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis.  (Abbie Parr/The Associated Press )

Trump revealed on Truth Social Monday that he had a productive phone call with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who he said requested that the local government work with federal officials amid the chaos. 

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«It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession,» Trump wrote. 

President Donald Trump arrives at a dedication ceremony for a portion of Southern Boulevard that the Town of Palm Beach Council recently voted to rename President Donald J. Trump Boulevard at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, Jan. 16, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

«The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I! We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and virtually every other place that we have ‘touched’ and, even in Minnesota, Crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!» Trump continued in his post. 

Walz’s office told Fox Digital Monday that the governor had a «productive» call with Trump, pressing for impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents — and urging a reduction in the federal footprint in Minnesota.

Gov. Tim Walz held a productive phone call with President Donald Trump Monday as tensions flare in Minnesota, the president shared on Truth Social.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

«The President agreed that he would talk to his Department of Homeland Security about ensuring the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is able to conduct an independent investigation, as would ordinarily be the case,» Walz’s office continued. «The President also agreed to look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota and working with the state in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals.» 

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Walz’s office said the governor also «reminded» Trump that Minnesota’s Department of Corrections honors federal immigration detainers — and that there isn’t a «single documented» instance of the agency releasing someone from state prison without first offering to facilitate a smooth transfer of custody.