Ep. 56 | The PLA Purge

Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping placed his most senior general, Zhang Youxia, under investigation, deepening what has become one of the most sweeping purges in the history of the People’s Liberation Army. Xi has now removed nearly the entire top tier of PLA leadership, raising important questions about the message he is sending to domestic and international audiences, what it means for a potential Taiwan contingency, and how it should inform the American approach to the Indo-Pacific. Jackie Deal—co-founder of the American Academy for Strategic Education, President of the Long Term Strategy Group, and Vandenberg Coalition Advisory Board member—joins Vandenberg Executive Director Carrie Filipetti to unpack what these purges mean.

China in the Homeland: https://vandenbergcoalition.org/china-in-the-homeland/

VFF with David Shedd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X0Evj6KdHc

(1:40) Purges Overview

(7:12) History of Purges in China

(12:30) Were Chinese Nuclear Secrets Leaked?

(14:56) What To Watch Next

(17:14) Takeaways for China’s Partners

(21:40) Are We Adequately Countering China?

(26:58) Deterring and Defeating China

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.