Zhong Shaojun, who served as Xi Jinping’s secretary for over 20 years, was purged on August 28. Assigned to Xi in 2002, he rose to help lead the Central Military Commission General Office in 2013, a crucial role in the People’s Liberation Army, despite having no military background.
Zhong’s purge follows a demotion in 2024 in which he was transferred to the post of political commissar of the National Defense University and signals Xi’s determination to purge even lifelong friends and personal retainers—individuals his rectification campaign had yet to touch.
Rectification within the armed forces will continue, but each successive wave of purges will yield less shock than the last and leave Xi dependent on further removals to sustain his authority.
by The Jamestown Foundation – Zhong Shaojun’s Removal Breaches Xi’s Innermost Circle
