Xi’s ominous purge of his top general President’s power play bodes badly whether it is a sign of strength or weakness Zhang Youxia, centre, who has been ousted from his role as vice-chair of China’s Central Military Commission, is not the first top military leader to fall from favour © Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images Published 4 hours ago It shows just how opaque Chinese politics is that even close watchers differ widely over both the cause and the implications of Xi Jinping’s recent purge of his top general, Zhang Youxia. Some see the toppling of Zhang, vice-chair of China’s Central Military Commission, as a signal of unexpected vulnerability for Xi. A more common view is that it is another step in the autocratic president’s expertly orchestrated drive to increase his personal power. Reality may be somewhere in between. But whichever interpretation is closer to the truth, the purge is a worrying development in the world’s number-two military and economic power. Those who detect weak...