Xi Jinping and China could be in trouble — at least that’s what the headlines could lead one to conclude following the apparent recent purge of two of Beijing’s key interlocutors with the rest of the world, both high-profile loyalists in the Chinese leader’s government.
But the well-known opacity in Beijing may have clouded assessments of how the turbulence is affecting Xi’s grip on power and his decision-making as China’s competition with the United States heats up.
While the lack of transparency and predictability adds more questions and fuels speculation about China, some experts say this doesn’t necessarily translate to tough times ahead for Xi, the country’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.