Behind CCP’s Closed Doors, a Weakened Xi Jinping Clings Tenuously to Power

As Xi Jinping's hold on power continues to deteriorate, his increasingly obvious, at least partial loss of control over the military could actually reduce the risk of war.

by Eva Fu
October 28, 2025

Xi Jinping has kept his title as China’s supreme leader after a closed-door conclave among top Party leadership in Beijing last week. But many signs suggest that he’s no longer all-powerful in his role, analysts say, even as the regime tries to portray the opposite.

The high-stakes Fourth Plenum, a four-day gathering of more than 300 members from the regime’s governing Central Committee, came with more than its usual share of intrigue — including mass military purges, the sidelining of Xi’s allies, unexplained absences, and a shift from the Party’s usual political priorities.

While China’s state-controlled narratives continue to project Party unity, signs of discord coming out of the highly choreographed meeting reveal significant tensions beneath the surface, analysts and insiders say.

“I think that his days are numbered. He will either be put out to pasture or simply sidelined in one way or another,” said Steven Mosher, researcher and author of the book Bully of Asia: Why China’s Dream Is the New Threat to World Order.

Turmoil Unfolding

The Fourth Plenum kicked off on Oct. 20 following the ouster of nine senior generals, including China’s second-highest-ranked military official, in one of the largest public military reshuffles in decades.