There is a very old, very cruel joke in the high-stakes world of **Chinese politics**, though nobody really laughs at it. The joke goes like this: the closer you stand to the king, the closer you are to the chopping block. It seems **Xi Jinping**, the leader of China, decided to tell this joke again last week. And the punchline was his old friend, **General Zhang Youxia**.

Just a few weeks ago, everything looked perfect in the theater of Beijing. There was a big military ceremony. Cameras were flashing, flags were waving, and everyone was wearing their best medals. Standing right next to Xi Jinping was General Zhang. He is 75 years old. He is—or was—the second most powerful man in the **Chinese military** (PLA). In the photos, he is inches away from the leader. They look like partners. They look like a team. But in a place like China, standing that close to the boss doesn’t mean you are safe. It usually means you are in the way.

Now, the news tells us that General Zhang is being "investigated." In the boring, stiff language of the government, they might say this is about a **military corruption crackdown**. They will say he took money, or he broke a rule, or he didn't fill out a form correctly. Oh, please. Let’s stop pretending we believe that. In these systems, "corruption" is just a fancy keyword for "I don't trust you anymore."

Let’s look at the reality of this mess. Experts are saying this has nothing to do with money and everything to do with a **CCP power struggle**. Of course it does. When you are the leader of a massive country and you want to stay in charge forever, you don't worry about a general stealing a few dollars. You worry about a general who has too many friends. You worry about the guy who controls the tanks and the guns.

What makes this specific tragedy so rich with irony is who Zhang is. He isn't some stranger. He and Xi come from the same background. Their fathers fought together in the old days. They are what people call "princelings"—the children of the original revolutionaries. They are supposed to be like brothers. They are supposed to be the special club that runs everything. But this proves a very sad truth about ultimate power: there is no such thing as a special club. There is only the leader, and then there are the people the leader is afraid of.

By taking down Zhang, Xi is sending a very loud, very scary message to everyone else in a uniform. He is saying, "Look at this man. He was my friend. He was the highest-ranking general. He stood right next to me. And I crushed him. Imagine what I will do to you."

It is a classic move. It is the kind of thing we have seen in history books for hundreds of years. The boss clears out the people at the top to make sure nobody gets any bright ideas about taking his job. It is not about justice. It is not about cleaning up the army. It is about fear. Pure, simple fear.

Think about the other generals watching this happen. They must be terrified. If being the second most powerful person isn't enough to protect you, then nothing is. They will all clap louder now. They will all cheer harder for Xi. They will nod their heads until their necks hurt. Not because they love him, but because they don't want to be the next person who disappears after a photo shoot.

So, the next time you see a picture of a world leader standing with his top advisors, don't think about how strong they look. Look at the smiles. Look at the eyes. They are all actors in a play where the script can change at any second. General Zhang found out the hard way that in the game of thrones, standing next to the throne is actually the worst possible spot. The view is great, but the exit is usually a trap door.

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### References & Fact-Check * **Original Event**: The removal and investigation of General Zhang Youxia, formerly the vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission. * **Context**: Analysis suggests this move solidifies Xi Jinping's control over the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by removing potential rivals under the guise of anti-corruption. * **Source**: [Fate of China’s top general more likely to do with power struggle than corruption](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/26/china-top-general-zhang-youxia-power-struggle-corruption) (The Guardian)