Has China’s Xi Been Overthrown in a Quiet Civil War?

Winston Churchill once described watching the inner workings of the USSR’s Marxists as “bulldogs fighting under a carpet.” You could hear the snarling and see the movement, but until the dogs emerged, no one knew what was really happening underneath. Today, there’s extraordinary commotion under China’s carpet, and mounting evidence suggests President Xi Jinping may have been overthrown in a silent coup.

The clues are becoming unmistakable: systematic purges of Xi loyalists throughout the military, rumors of suspicious deaths and “suicides” of senior generals who were once firmly in his camp. If true, they are clear signs of elite rebellion against his increasingly desperate rule. The same ruthlessness that Xi displayed when he publicly humiliated former leader Hu Jintao at the 2022 Party Congress may now be coming back to haunt him.

Xi‘s Military Fortress Crumbles

Napoleon once observed that “an army marches on its stomach,” meaning soldiers fight best when they’re well-fed and secure. It’s a truth that Xi Jinping may be learning too late. As China’s economy starves, so does the loyalty of its military, the people and the Party.

China’s military, supposedly Xi’s most reliable power base, is in complete disarray. Since December 2023, over 15 senior People’s Liberation Army officers have been purged, including General He Weidong, Xi’s own deputy, who was ousted in 2025 for alleged corruption. Admiral Miao Hua, a trusted Fujian ally, followed the same path as former Defense Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, their personal loyalty proving no protection.

More ominously, unverified reports suggest He Weidong may have committed suicide, echoing the suspicious deaths of other high-ranking officials who fell from Xi’s grace. When military leaders start dying under mysterious circumstances, it signals something far more serious than routine anti-corruption campaigns.

But here’s what makes this purge different: it’s happening against the backdrop of economic collapse. With tax revenues plummeting and local governments drowning in $13 trillion of debt, even Xi’s military allies are questioning whether they’re backing a sinking ship. Leaders throughout the system face a stark choice: eliminate Xi before he eliminates them or watch him drag the entire Party down with his failures.

Economic Catastrophe Fuels Political Crisis

 Xi’s domestic mismanagement has pushed the Chinese Communist Party to the edge of legitimacy. The real estate sector, once the engine of Chinese growth, has collapsed spectacularly, with construction starts plummeting 23.8% by May 2025, sparking worker unrest across the country. Meanwhile, the demographic time bomb created by the one-child policy continues ticking, burdening an aging population with unsustainable social costs.

His zero-COVID lockdowns triggered the rare public protests of 2022, while his aggressive trade policies backfired catastrophically, provoking punishing U.S. tariffs and driving allies like Vietnam to pivot toward Washington. Xi’s abrasive “wolf warrior” diplomacy has systematically alienated China’s traditional partners, while his attempts to weaponize rare earth minerals have only accelerated global efforts to find alternative suppliers.

With GDP growth collapsing and youth unemployment soaring, the Party’s core promise, delivering prosperity in exchange for political submission, is crumbling. Non-Xi factions within the CCP increasingly fear that economic pain could ignite mass revolt, threatening their own survival unless they act decisively to remove him.

Elite Rebellion Beneath The Surface

Though heavily veiled by the CCP’s penchant for secrecy, signs of elite dissent are emerging. Reports indicate that General Zhang Youxia and Party elders like Wen Jiabao have privately criticized Xi’s leadership, while academic Zhang Yingjie publicly called his system “hopeless,” a remarkably bold statement in today’s China.

The suppressed “Peng Lifa” protests of 2022, where citizens called for Xi’s removal, demonstrated that public frustration extends far beyond the Party elite. Xi’s systematic humiliation of rivals, epitomized by his treatment of Hu Jintao, has cornered potential allies who now face their own political extinction unless they fight back.

As Churchill’s bulldogs fight beneath the surface, China’s leaders may be quietly plotting Xi’s removal, driven by the existential fear of Party collapse. However, these moves must navigate Xi’s extensive surveillance apparatus, leaving the fundamental question shrouded in uncertainty.

The Secrecy Paradox

 Xi’s obsession with controlling information creates its own leadership problem, in a system where information flows only upward and criticism is lethal, even Xi may not fully grasp the true extent of the rebellion brewing beneath him.

What Comes Next?

The evidence, military purges, economic crisis, elite dissent and public unrest paint a picture of a regime in profound crisis. Yet Xi’s ultimate fate remains hidden beneath China’s carpet of secrecy. Has he been overthrown in a silent coup, or is he desperately battling to crush his enemies before they can move against him?

The answer will become clear at the 2027 Party Congress, when China’s leadership succession becomes impossible to hide. Until then, the international community should maintain maximum pressure through targeted tariffs, human rights advocacy and support for democratic alternatives in the region.

Churchill’s bulldogs continue their hidden fight, and the world can only watch the movement beneath China’s carpet, waiting to see which dog emerges victorious, or whether they all perish in a revolt by the masses.

Jeff King has served as International Christian Concern (ICC) (persecution.org) president since 2003 and is one of the world’s top experts on religious persecution. He has advocated for the persecuted everywhere, testifying before the U.S. Congress on religious freedom. He has been interviewed or quoted by most of today’s leading media outlets such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and The Washington Times. He is a three-time author and is available as a guest speaker. Jeff is also the host of “Faith Under Fire,” a podcast dedicated to helping Christians deepen and defend their faith. To learn more, go to the Jeff King Blog.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.