Four Unusual Signals From the PLA That We Can't Ignore

Jun 03, 2026 - 09:49

For years, Xi Jinping has emphasized absolute loyalty to the Party center and the principle that the Party commands the gun. But a series of recent developments inside the PLA suggest something unusual may be happening behind the scenes. From the sudden removal of a key Xi ally in Baoding, to transparency reforms inside the strategically important 82nd Group Army, to the reappearance of "collective leadership" in military messaging and the quiet disappearance of familiar Xi-era slogans, several signals are pointing in the same direction. Are these isolated events, or signs of a deeper power shift within China's military? Today, we examine four unusual developments from the PLA that we simply can't ignore.