Xi Purges Wang Qishan's 20-Year Top Aide Wang Stands with Zhang Youxia

An official being arrested. Nothing unusual in this system. But when that official is Zhu Liang, the right-hand man of Wang Qishan, for over two decades, this is no longer just anti-corruption. It signals a power reckoning at the very top. The issue isn't Zhu Liang himself. The real question is, who is the true target behind him? As those who once helped Xi Jinping rise to the pinnacle of power are systematically removed, as trusted allies become targets, and as the system begins to consume its own, this is no longer reform or discipline. It is the sign of a life-and-death struggle. In a structure governed by fear, loyalty alone is no longer enough to protect anyone. So why does Xi Jinping keep eliminating those closest to him, those who once contributed to his rise? Let's break it down in today's program. The Purge of Wang Qishan's Inner Circle On March 24th, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection abruptly announced that Deputy Director Zhu Liang was under investigation. The stated reason sounded all too familiar— suspected serious violations of discipline and law. But the issue is that Zhu Liang is no ordinary figure. Hearing Deputy Director, many might assume he isn't among the highest ranks. But Zhu Liang is far from a typical official. So who is he? Zhu Liang, 55, has long been the closest and most enduring aide to Wang Qishan. Back in the 1990s, when Wang was dispatched to Guangdong as Executive Vice Governor to clean up financial order, Zhu, then working at the Guangdong Development Center, began following him. From there, through the State Council Reform Office, Hainan, Beijing, and later into the State Council and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Zhu remained by Wang's side every step of the way. After Wang became Secretary of the CCDI, Zhu first served as Deputy Secretary General, then as Executive Deputy Head of the Organization Department. In November 2017, shortly after Wang stepped down, he arranged for Zhu to become Vice Chairman of the Banking Regulatory Commission. Five months later, Zhu was further appointed Vice Chairman of the newly formed Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, while also serving as Vice Chairman of the China Financial Trade Union. In May 2023, just two months after Wang Qishan concluded his term as Vice President, Zhu Liang was again appointed Deputy Director of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, a position he held until this latest development. This career trajectory makes one thing clear. Zhu Liang enjoyed Wang Qishan's extraordinary trust. For roughly two decades, he followed Wang closely, was entrusted with key personnel responsibilities, and effectively acted as his proxy within the financial system, even as Wang gradually stepped away from the center of power. Some even say that, on certain matters, Wang trusted Zhu more than his own family. Within the Chinese Communist Party system, every level operates through networks of patronage. Before taking action against anyone, it is standard practice to investigate who stands behind them, so as not to offend powerful figures. Xi Jinping, of course, knows full well that Zhu Liang's backing is Wang Qishan, making this move all the more unusual. It strongly suggests a deliberate settling of accounts. Notably, before Zhu Liang, three other close aides of Wang, Dong Hong, Tian Huiyu, and Fan Yifei, had already been handed suspended death sentences. Now, with Zhu also brought down, it appears Xi Jinping is methodically dismantling Wang's entire faction. To be sure, Xi has a reputation for kicking away the latter after crossing the bridge, revisiting past alliances and settling old scores. But Wang Qishan was once a longtime close ally, so why now move to eliminate his network so completely? According to commentator Li Muliang, ahead of the 2024 Third Plenum, observers had already begun noticing a pattern. Figures from Xi's camp were repeatedly falling from power. Especially after the meeting, rumors spread widely that Xi Jinping had lost control. Some reports even claimed that Zhang Yuxia had taken command of the military with backing from party elders. Because Chinese politics operates like a black box, none of these claims can be independently verified. However, for a considerable period afterward, those who were purged largely belonged to Xi's faction. And Xi himself displayed a number of unusual public signals, fueling further speculation that his grip on power had weakened. Then, on January 24th this year, an unexpected announcement surfaced that Zhang Yuxia was under investigation. This led many to believe that Xi had successfully counterattacked and regained control. Against this backdrop, Zhulian's investigation raises an obvious question. Is it connected to the situations involving Zhang Yuxia and Wang Qishan? In other words, among the party elders who allegedly supported Zhang's hold over the military, was Wang Qian one of them? That said, Wang Qishan still carries significant influence within the system. Even though he has stepped back from formal office, it would be difficult for Xi to move against him directly. More likely, this is a case of killing the chicken to scare the monkey, sending a warning through his associates. By contrast, for those without powerful backing, such as defense industry experts, Xi has shown little restraint, acting without hesitation or leaving any room for retreat. According to Daxi Zhu, another commentator, Wen Rui, argues that the investigation into Zhulian is not really about the wine. In other words, Zhu is not the true target. Wang Qishan is. Within the CCP today, there are seen as three latent forces that could oppose Xi. The military, the political elders, and the so-called princeling faction. Wang, notably, sits at the intersection of both the elders and the princelings. Various signs suggest that if an anti-Xi coalition were to truly consolidate, there is a strong likelihood, over 90% some say, that Wang Qishan would align with it, possibly even taking a leading role. This is partly because, in recent years, Wang's dissatisfaction with Xi has become increasingly apparent. A few years ago, while attending the Boao Forum, he even modestly described himself as merely a warm-up act for Xi's speech. Commentator Li Lingyi adds that China's financial system is now firmly in the hands of Hailey Feng, a close Xi ally. Like Xi, he is known for his strong inclination toward consolidating power. Zhulian's investigation, therefore, may well have been carried out under his direction, following Xi's orders, aimed at continuing the purge of legacy personnel within the financial system and dismantling networks linked to the princeling faction. From boyhood ally to enemy Political commentator Kai Shengkun wrote on X that Wang Qishan regarded Zhulian almost like a son and held his abilities in extremely high esteem. Yet in the end, even Zhu was taken down. Xi Jinping, it seems, has shown no restraint or sentiment toward Wang. The main reason, Cai suggests, is that Xi deeply fears Wang, worried he might follow the same path as Zhou Yongkang. So what really happened behind the scenes? Let's break it down step by step. In fact, Xi Jinping and Wang Qishan go back a long way. In their youth, both were sent down to the countryside in Shanxi, where they became acquainted. Later, Wang married the daughter of senior party elder Yao Yilin, officially entering the inner circle of the so-called princeling elite. In other words, one was a core figure among the Red's second generation and the other a future successor. Such a pairing is rare within the CCP system, but also inherently risky. Then came the turning point around 2012. When Xi Jinping first took power, his position was far from secure. Factional struggle was intense, and no one truly deferred to him. At that moment, Wang Qishan stepped in. As secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, he launched the sweeping tiger-hunting anti-corruption campaign that shook the entire system. Do you remember the saying from official circles back then, It meant that being investigated by the CCDI was even more terrifying than death. Through this campaign, Wang helped Xi purge rivals and reshape the balance of power. It's fair to say that without Wang Qishan, Xi Jinping would not have consolidated power as firmly as he did. But here's the key point. At the time, many people, including Wang himself, believed Xi was someone who could be worked with, even managed. Canadian-based Chinese democracy activist Shen Xue once revealed, citing insider sources, that Wang's camp had long-term plans, potentially rebranding the Communist Party under a different name, such as the Labour Party, to improve its international image, while keeping real power firmly in the hands of the red elite. In plain terms, change the label, not the system. At the same time, toward dissidents and overseas opposition forces, the approach was pragmatic. Co-opt those who could be co-opted. Suppress those who could be suppressed. This strategy echoed earlier practices from the era of Jiang Zemin and Zheng Qinghong. But, as it turned out, they miscalculated. Seriously. By Xi Jinping's second term, everything began to shift. Xi's trajectory diverged sharply from what Wang Qishan had anticipated. Advancing the policy of the state advances, the private sector retreats, cracking down on private enterprises, centralizing personal power, and steering decisively toward the left. At the same time, something even more critical happened. Wang Qishan was sidelined. In 2017, at the 19th Party Congress, Wang unexpectedly stepped down from the Politburo Standing Committee and was not reappointed. In 2018, he was assigned the role of Vice President, a position with little real authority. Such an arrangement is rare in CCP history. On the surface, it looked like an honorable retirement. But in reality, it was a demotion. According to revelations by Yuan Hongbing, a Chinese legal scholar in exile in Australia, the decisive rupture between the two stemmed from Xi Jinping breaking a promise. Initially, Xi had indicated that Wang could remain on the Standing Committee, possibly even bending age norms to do so. But in the end, that never happened. Why? Because those around Xi, especially the faction aligned with Cai Qi, viewed Wang Qishan as ambitious. They believed that if Wang remained in power, he could pose a direct threat to Xi's authority. As a result, Xi moved to remove Wang from the core circle of power. That move effectively marked a complete falling out between the two. There is also a deeper reason behind the rift between the two. Factions within the CCP's princeling elite once attempted to block Xi Jinping from securing another term at the 21st Party Congress, while at the same time planning to elevate Wang Qishan as a replacement. This forms the backdrop to what appears to be Xi's sweeping and destructive crackdown on Wang's network. Today, internal struggle within the CCP has entered an extremely intense phase, and the punishment of officials has grown increasingly severe. What followed became clearer and clearer. Wang Qishan's friends, subordinates, and secretaries have been taken down one after another. A typical example is Ren Xicheng, former chairman of Beijing Huayuan Group, who once mocked Xi Jinping as a clown who still wants to be emperor, even stripped bare. In 2020, he was arrested and sentenced to 18 years in prison on charges including corruption, bribery, and embezzlement. In reality, Ren had very close ties to Wang Qishan. They were classmates, and Wang had even served as his advisor. Some reports say they were so close they could call each other in the middle of the night. By Xi Jinping's third term, the situation grew even more complicated as China's economy began to decline significantly. At this point, a new motive emerged, using anti-corruption campaigns to replenish state finances. In simple terms, arrest people, confiscate their assets, and funnel the money into the national treasury. And who becomes the easiest target? Those within the financial system. But that happens to be Wang Qishan's stronghold. He spent years overseeing China's banking and financial sectors, building an extensive network of loyalists. As a result, since 2021, the financial system has undergone large-scale purges. At its core, what is this? A combination of power consolidation and wealth extraction. Why has Xi Jinping moved so forcefully against Wang Qishan's network? Because in Xi's eyes, Wang is not a retired figure, but a latent threat. The strategy, therefore, is straightforward. Uproot the problem completely. First strike at subordinates, then dismantle the network, and finally isolate the individual himself. This approach is highly characteristic of CCP political history. What we are witnessing today is not merely a personal conflict between two individuals, but something much larger. The CCP has entered a phase of existential internal struggle. Allies have become adversaries. Cooperation has turned into reckoning. All of this stems from the Party's underlying logic of ruthless internal competition, where there is no room for human sentiment or rational compromise, only survival and advancement through struggle. Can a system like this truly endure? What do you think of Xi Jinping's latest move? And will Wang Qishan remain unscathed? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you, and see you next time.