Nuclear Subs Sink Repeatedly! Weapons Fail Massively – Xi Launches Massive Purge!

Iran fires 52 Chinese carrier killer missiles at USS Lincoln. Zero hits, Beijing panics and launches massive purge. China's tofu-dreg nuclear submarine nearly explodes. Cooling system failure. Left reactor just 12 seconds from meltdown. Xi Jinping picks his successor. An almost unknown cousin suddenly becomes Shenzhen's new party secretary. Jiang Suifeng's sudden death, five lethal killing lines of the Chinese communist regime. China's economy collapses, more and more people can't afford to eat. The situation is shockingly tragic. You're watching Decoding China, where we bring you timely analysis and grounded perspectives on today's China. Iran fires 52 Chinese carrier killer missiles at USS Lincoln. Zero hits, Beijing panics and launches massive purge. In the joint US-Israeli airstrikes against Iran, the Iranian military launched 52 of China's latest supersonic anti-ship missiles, the CM302, at the US Navy's USS Lincoln carrier strike group. These missiles, heavily promoted by Beijing as carrier killers, failed spectacularly. Not a single one hit its target. Some were effortlessly intercepted by the US Aegis defense system, while others exploded mid-flight, or veered wildly off course due to guidance failures. None reached the advertised Mach 3 speed. On paper, the CM302 sounded terrifying. 290 kilometer range, sea-skimming flight and active radar guidance. In reality, it had a fatal flaw. It was blind. When the American warship maneuvered, accelerated or deployed countermeasures, the missile arrived at an empty patch of ocean. To make matters worse, its supersonic flight generated an intense plasma sheath that jammed its own guidance system. The faster it flew, the more hopelessly lost it became. This failure was not just a battlefield embarrassment. It triggered one of the largest purges in China's military-industrial complex in recent memory. Within a single month, numerous key figures quietly disappeared from official websites. Yang Wei, chief designer of the J-20 fighter jet. Radar expert Wu Manqin, former vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Missile guidance specialist Wei Yiran. And nuclear weapons expert Zhao Shankai. Tang Rong, former chairman and party secretary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China, AVIC, was sentenced by the Dalian Intermediate People's Court to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting over 600 million RMB in bribes over 26 years. His crimes were politely labeled corruption in the military-industrial sector. In truth, behind every bribe were substandard suppliers, fake quality certifications, and components, including missile warheads reportedly filled with water instead of fuel. Even China's flagship export air defense system, the Hongqi 9B HQ9B, suffered the same humiliating fate. Iran had purchased three systems for five billion dollars in an oil-for-weapons deal and deployed them to protect its most critical nuclear facilities. All three were destroyed or blinded within the first hour of the attack. The radars were completely jammed by U.S. electronic warfare aircraft, leaving Iranian operators staring at blank screens while American and Israeli bombs and missiles rained down. This was not the first time. Similar Chinese systems had already failed miserably in the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict and when U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela in early 2026 using the JY-27A radar. Three conflicts, three humiliating failures, same Chinese technology, same disastrous results. The real story lies in China's deeply rotten military-industrial system, systemic corruption from design to production to procurement. Guidance chips, radar processors, and electronic warfare components were often gray market imports, second-hand or repurposed civilian-grade parts. Quality control existed only on paper and in PowerPoint slides presented to superiors. Academicians falsified test data, procurement officials took bribes to approve junk, and everyone stayed silent as long as the envelopes kept coming. Xi Jinping had long tolerated this corruption. Only when $5 billion worth of advanced Chinese weapons was wiped out in a single battle, shattering Beijing's carefully crafted image of a rising military superpower, did it become a political crisis. Since 2022, over 100 senior PLA generals have been purged. Two defense ministers, two vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission, and the chief of the Joint Staff have all fallen. The Central Military Commission has been reduced to just two people, Xi Jinping and his anti-corruption chief. Even the core leader himself no longer knows how many weapons in his arsenal actually work and how many are filled with water rather than propellant. However, for Taiwan, this is no time for celebration. A blindly arrogant Chinese Communist Party was already dangerous. But a CCP that has been slapped hard in the face, now fully aware of its weaknesses and frantically scrambling to fix them, is far more dangerous. The Taiwan Strait is only 180 kilometers from the nearest PLA base. Advantages in numbers, geography, and saturation attacks do not disappear simply because the CM302 missed an American warship. Therefore, Taiwan must remain vigilant and strengthen its military power. Beijing will study the Iran debacle the same way it studied the 1991 Gulf War and then adapt. In the end, those 52 carrier killers have missed the USS Lincoln, not only exposing the vast corruption network within the CCP military, but also scoring a direct hit on the myth of China's military invincibility. And this time, not even the CCP's censors could cover it up. China's tofu-dreg nuclear submarine nearly explodes, cooling system failure, left reactor just 12 seconds from meltdown. The Chinese Communist Party has invested tens of billions of U.S. dollars to build a powerful navy. But its efforts are now collapsing due to rampant corruption, with nuclear submarines sinking one after another. The coolant has a design flaw. If the cavitation effect goes unchecked, none of the 70 crew members on board will survive. These chilling words were spoken by Shen Huai, a former designer for the propulsion system of China's new nuclear submarine. Shen Huai was a hero who should have been awarded a medal. But instead, he was accused of subjective misjudgment for revealing a fatal flaw that could claim the lives of 70 of his comrades. He was dismissed from his position and banned for life from the military research field, to which he had dedicated half his life. The story didn't end there. His wife, Lin Shuye, an engineer on the same project, believed in her husband's judgment. After Shen Huai was dismissed, she began collecting evidence to clear his name. But as she came closer to the truth, she was killed in a meticulously planned car accident, taking all the evidence with her. Her tragic death left Shen Huai heartbroken. He retreated into the mountains, carrying the heavy burden of grief and a dark secret. For three years, he lived in hiding until recently, when he finally revealed the shocking truth himself. Three years ago, Shen Huai was testing a new nuclear submarine model at sea. The test focused on the submarine's diving depth. And at 300 meters, all the data on the instrument panel was perfectly stable, like a textbook example. Suddenly, at a temperature of 280 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 15 megapascals, the coolant's flow rate began to show a 0.3% fluctuation. In the laboratory on land, such a fluctuation would be dismissed as a minor error. But here, Shen Huai knew better than anyone. Behind this figure was a dangerous physical phenomenon. Cavitation inside the boiling coolant. Countless microscopic bubbles were forming, expanding, and then being violently crushed under immense pressure. Each burst generated shock waves that slammed into the walls of the cooling pipes, creating thousands of tiny, invisible impacts per second. He requested an emergency ascent. The response from shore command was brief. Continue observation. No primary parameters exceed safety thresholds. The trial was nearing completion. Senior officials were waiting for a success report. An emergency ascent would mean mission failure, economic losses, and political embarrassment. Shen understood the engineering reality. The command structure operated on a different logic. He did not wait. He cut power to the main circulation pump, an act considered a serious breach of authority. Forced circulation stopped. Passive safety mechanisms activated. Control rods were inserted into the core. The emergency cooling system began injecting coolant to bring reactor output down to cold shutdown status. The submarine immediately began ascending at maximum speed. It took 28 minutes to rise from 300 meters to the surface. During those 28 minutes, core temperature surged because forced circulation had ceased. The emergency cooling system worked at full capacity to keep the temperature curve below the critical line. Each time the curve approached the threshold, the propulsion compartment fell silent. If it crossed, the submarine would become a radioactive steel tomb on the ocean floor. 28 minutes later, the submarine surfaced successfully. No casualties. No radiation leak. A nuclear disaster had been prevented. After returning to shore, investigators tested coolant samples from the main loop. The final results confirmed Shen's warning. The high temperature stability of that coolant batch was 15% lower than specified in the procurement contract. At 280 degrees Celsius, it vaporized more easily, increasing the likelihood of cavitation. The cause was traced to the supplier's use of cheaper chemical additives instead of the specified materials. The chain of responsibility appeared clear. Substandard product, material defect, nuclear risk. Yet the official accident report concluded otherwise. Designer Shen Huai, due to psychological instability, misjudged equipment status, arbitrarily cut power, caused mission failure, and resulted in significant economic losses. The critical coolant test report disappeared from the final file. The concluding line stated, relevant technical data no longer holds reference value. That sentence did more than dismiss evidence. It erased technical lessons from the record. When data is declared without reference value, errors are not corrected. They are buried, ready to resurface in future projects. Shen Huai was dismissed and permanently barred from military research. The supplier faced no public accountability. This is not the first time incidents involving Chinese nuclear submarines have been exposed. In October 2024, the British Daily Mail reported, citing a confidential document from the British Ministry of Defense, that on August 21st, 2023, the Chinese nuclear-powered submarine 093-417 collided with chains and anchor obstacles deployed by the Chinese Navy to hinder American and Allied submarines during a mission. This collision led to a catastrophic failure of the submarine's oxygen system, resulting in the deaths of all 55 crew members on board due to hypoxia, including 22 officers, seven cadets, nine sergeants, and 17 sailors. Subsequently, military enthusiasts captured images of numerous rescue ships assembling in the waters southwest of Taiwan, near the vicinity outside Shantou, China. However, the CCP officially denied rumors of the submarine accident. Previously, the Wall Street Journal reported that China's latest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank in waters near Wuhan in late May or early June 2024. To this day, Chinese authorities continue to make every effort to cover up news of the submarine's sinking. It was the first of China's new generation nuclear-powered submarines, distinguished by its unique X-shaped stern. The submarine was built by the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. It was last seen by outsiders in late May while undergoing final outfitting at a dock on the Yangtze River. Satellite images from the scene show that large floating cranes were deployed in the relevant waters in early June to lift the submarine from the riverbed. For Beijing, which has been striving to build advanced military capabilities, the sinking of this nuclear-powered submarine represents a major blow to its confidence. Xi Jinping picks his successor. An almost unknown cousin suddenly becomes Shenzhen's new party secretary. On March 22nd, Jin Lei, former member of the standing committee of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee and organization minister, was appointed as the new party secretary of Shenzhen. The appointment sent shockwaves through Chinese political circles, especially among the top elites of the Chinese Communist Party. This unexpected move is seen as a strategic step by Xi Jinping to place an absolutely loyal figure in a key position, ensuring the continuation of his power and the long-term protection of his family's interests. Shortly afterward, rumors added fuel to the fire, claiming that Jin Lei is actually Xi Jinping's cousin. According to Canadian writer Sheng Shui, Jin Lei's mother is the younger sister of Xi Jinping's mother, Qi Xin. Although there is no public evidence yet, this family dynasty narrative has spread rapidly on overseas social media. Shenzhen is no ordinary city. It is the special economic zone that Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhongxun, helped establish in 1980. Later, the elder Xi chose to spend the last 11 years of his life there. Xi Jinping's mother and many other family members also maintained deep ties with the city. Over time, Shenzhen has quietly become the Xi family's real family treasury, with extensive interests in finance, real estate, and high-tech sectors. For example, Shenzhen Capital Group has quietly supported Xi's high-tech investments. Xi's elder sister, Qi Qiaokiao, holds special rights to develop lucrative above-ground properties along the metro lines, essentially risk-free profits in a land-scarce city. Even during the real estate downturn, Excellence Group continues to secure billions in bank loans and fast-track approvals. Meanwhile, the giant banca, China Banca, was once on the brink of a hostile takeover, but was saved through swift intervention by city authorities under pressure from the Xi family. In return, Banca has reportedly become a loyal property manager, handling assets and channeling massive profits back to the Xi family while keeping only management fees. In this context, choosing Shenzhen's party secretary is no longer about selecting the best economic manager, but rather appointing a capable family steward. The top criterion has shifted from governing ability to absolute loyalty and the capacity to safeguard the family's vast interests. Jin Lei, born in 1970 and now 56 years old, appears to fit these requirements quite well. He holds a master's degree in economics from Xiamen University, has served as organization minister at the provincial level, and possesses local governance experience. He enjoys patronage from Xi's key economic advisor, He Lifeng. His wife has also actively built connections through First Lady diplomacy, forging ties with the wives of senior officials. Most importantly, Jin Lei reportedly provided meticulous care for the Xi family's art projects and real estate interests in southwestern China. All these factors make him a safe choice in Xi Jinping's eyes. However, Jin Lei's rapid rise carries a distinctly Chinese sense of irony. A relatively obscure official who has never been a full or alternate member of the Central Committee, with most of his experience in a small and remote city, has suddenly been parachuted into one of the most important positions in the country. This once again demonstrates that under the current regime, ability and track record are often secondary. Connections and loyalty come first. Jin Lei's tenure has just begun, but his mission is already crystal clear. Guard the family's treasure chest in Shenzhen, protect his sister-in-law's metro property projects and his cousin's investment funds, and ensure the money flow continues uninterrupted amid the escalating U.S.-China tech war and the exodus of foreign companies. While analysts note that Jin Lei does not yet fit the classic profile of a fast-track successor like previous leaders, his relatively young age, economic background, and organizational experience still give him room for further advancement, possibly to deputy party secretary of Guangdong, governor, or even higher. In summary, the appointment of Jin Lei once again reveals the operating logic of the Chinese Communist Party under Xi Jinping. Family rule is alive and well, loyalty trumps competence, and Shenzhen, once the proud symbol of reform and opening up, has quietly been transformed into a private asset that must be tightly controlled. As for whether Jin Lei will ultimately become Xi Jinping's successor, the clearest answer may still lie in one simple question. Is he truly Xi Jinping's cousin? Jiang Suifeng's sudden death, five lethal killing lines of the Chinese Communist regime. Jiang Suifeng, an online figure who rose from a poor background in Heilongjiang, became well-known for exposing the information gap in China's education system. On March 24, 2026, at the age of 41, he died of sudden cardiac death after jogging at his company in Suzhou. He was rushed to the hospital but did not survive, passing away at 3.50 p.m. His death came within just a few hours, right in the middle of the work cycle he once embodied. But this tragedy is not merely a personal story. It is a textbook manifestation of a system that imposes layered pressure, pushing individuals to their limits until they collapse. First, overwork has become structural. The 996 model and wolf culture turn human beings into expendable resources. China has for years ranked among the countries with the highest rates of death from overwork. Long working hours are no longer a personal choice but have been systematized into a competitive norm. As the economy slows, this pressure intensifies, dragging the labor class into a spiral of exhaustion. Second, education has become a mechanism of filtering rather than upward mobility. Each year, millions of graduates enter the workforce only to face unemployment or jobs beneath their qualifications. Degrees are inflated while real opportunities remain constrained by power structures and connections. The urban-rural divide and the gap between those inside and outside of the system force those from disadvantaged backgrounds into extreme competition within an inherently unequal playing field. Jiang Shuifeng's success was a rare exception, not the rule. Third, the traffic-driven economy places individuals under absolute control. Transitioning from a lecturer to an entrepreneur, Zhang leveraged digital platforms to build influence. But once his voice crossed invisible boundaries, control mechanisms quickly intervened, reduced visibility, guided public opinion, and even attacks from state-aligned media. In such an environment, a personal brand is never truly independent. It is merely an extension that can be revoked at any time. Fourth, nationalism is instrumentalized. When Zhang publicly pledged large donations in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the statement did not benefit him. Instead, it triggered restrictions. This reveals a paradox. The system encourages slogans, but does not allow individuals to act independently or define patriotism on their own terms. Fifth, information chaos and lack of personal security. Despite understanding the education system deeply, Zhang failed to manage his own health. After his death, public discourse quickly shifted toward his private life and alleged scandals, demonstrating how narratives can be reshaped to serve social control. The Chinese Communist Party claims that the people come first, yet forces the people into endlessly grinding gears. It promotes common prosperity, yet lets anxiety and exhaustion become the normal state of the lower classes. The controversies surrounding Zhang Shuifeng are not incidental. They are a harbinger of collapsing trust and the disintegration of a system that devours people without ever letting go. In this system, the ceiling of effort for those born into poverty is often the system's real limit. Zhang Shuifeng spent his entire life proving exactly that. For ordinary people to truly defy fate and rewrite their destiny, it can only happen after this system itself collapses. China's economy collapses, more and more people can't afford to eat. The situation is shockingly tragic. In recent years, China's economy has been continuously declining. Walking down the food streets of many cities, you can clearly feel the chilling emptiness. Restaurants that once had long queues are now forced to offer 9.9 yuan combos just to survive. This is not normal market competition, but a desperate struggle for survival. Merchants are slashing prices, yet consumers still hesitate. The problem is not about value for money, but simply that there is no money. More and more people are calculating the cost of every single meal, and some have even cut back to eating only one or two meals a day. Sister Ling, the owner of a small restaurant, recounted a heartbreaking scene. A young man walked in and ordered a bowl of fried sauce noodles. After finishing, he stood there motionless, holding his phone but never scanning the QR code to pay. She took one look and knew. He had no money. Many other customers are in the same desperate situation, completely broke and unable to afford even a simple meal. Some people have become so hopeless that they called the police and asked, if I voluntarily go to prison, can I get free food and free housing? I owe more than 2 million yuan. Eating has become a problem and I have nowhere to live. Every day, I just sit in the park. When it rains, I hide under the bridge, living a life that doesn't even resemble that of a human being. When someone hits rock bottom, they don't just lose money. They also lose faith in the world. A woman who used to run her own business went bankrupt last year and owed more than 20 million yuan. She recalled, I scrolled through over a thousand contacts in my phone book and called every single one. In the end, I couldn't borrow even 100 yuan. Some didn't pick up, some blocked me, some pretended not to see. That is reality. That is human nature. She wandered the streets for over four months, eating just half a steamed bun in the morning and the other half at night. When thirsty, she would drink tap water from public toilets. She said with a heavy heart, once you no longer have any value, let alone friends, even family ties become fragile. So-called family affection, friendship and love are all worthless in front of money. Society today is extremely harsh. Many highly educated people who graduated from top universities like 985 and 211 still find it incredibly difficult to get a job. They have to mass submit resumes, go through written tests, then multiple rounds of interviews, first round, second round, third round, comprehensive interviews, final interviews. After enduring countless hardships to finally land a job, many want to quit after just a few months, even when the salary and benefits are decent. Why? Because the work is too exhausting and the pressure is overwhelming. Both physical and mental health deteriorate and the money they earn isn't even enough to cover medical bills. So what should you do when you've reached the absolute bottom? No money, no job, drowning in debt and even your friends have distanced themselves. Some suggest following just three steps. First, bring your mindset back on track by accepting reality. No matter how much debt you owe, no matter how urgently you're being chased, even if you truly cannot repay it right now, you must face it calmly. Second, don't push yourself too hard. You are just an ordinary person. There's no need to pursue perfection in everything. Stop obsessing over how to repay the debt. First, reduce the pressure. Eat a proper full meal and get a good night's sleep. Third, pull yourself together and start over from the beginning, doing the simplest and most basic things. For example, find a job that can at least feed you then slowly build up from there. Life is full of setbacks anyway. 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