The PLA is the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party, not the state. Xi Jinping is the only civilian on the Central Military Commission, making it the sole locus of party (and civilian) control, unlike Western models with extensive civilian oversight.
Widespread corruption within the PLA means nearly every senior officer has a usable 'dossier.' This provides Xi Jinping with a permanent, justifiable pretext to eliminate anyone for political reasons, with corruption charges acting as the public-facing justification.
The shocking accusation that General Zhang Yuxia sold nuclear secrets to the U.S. is likely a sanctioned leak. This tactic serves to politically annihilate the individual beyond a simple corruption charge, signaling to the entire system that no one is safe.
The recent purges have wiped out an entire generational cohort of PLA leaders, not just individuals. This creates a significant succession crisis and leadership vacuum, forcing Xi to promote a new, untested generation of officers with whom he has no established trust.
Xi Jinping's willingness to decapitate his military leadership suggests he feels secure about the external environment. He perceives no immediate crisis over Taiwan, giving him the political space to conduct a thorough and disruptive internal consolidation.
Life as a CCP official involves constant, intense pressure. With every interaction being politically charged and the threat of a purge ever-present, the system is fundamentally low-trust. This creates a terrifying work environment where political survival is a daily concern.
Xi's purge of Zhang Yuxia, a close ally kept past retirement age, signals a new phase. He has moved from eliminating enemies and associates to being "pitiless with his friends," indicating a dangerous consolidation of power or growing paranoia.
The ousting of a trusted ally like Zhang Yuxia prompts debate on Xi Jinping's motives. It could signal a descent into paranoia, where he suspects everyone. Alternatively, it may be a calculated act of ruthlessness, proving even close allies are disposable once their utility expires.
High-level purges often result not from overt scheming, but from officials unintentionally misinterpreting the leader's opaque desires. Like Xi's own father, loyalists can accidentally get "sideways of the boss," a far more common and dangerous risk than outright treason.