# Power, Paranoia, and the People's Liberation Army

An episode of [War on the Rocks](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/682478916), 19 Feb 2026, 59 min.

Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/warontherocks/WOTR_Feb_19_V2_1.mp3?dest-id=298196

China's top military leadership has been shaken by a new round of purges at the highest level, raising urgent questions about loyalty, corruption, and combat readiness. What do these removals, and especially the purge of Zhang Youxia, signal about Xi Jinping's grip on power, the health of the People's Liberation Army, and Beijing's appetite for risk abroad? We are joined by four seasoned analysts of China and its military, three of whom worked at the Central Intelligence Agency, to parse these questions and more. This episode is brought to you by Onebrief. Find out more at https://warontherocks.com/onebrief

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