Troops Deployed in Beijing after Arrest of Officials Involved in Suspected Coup

China has deployed troops in central Beijing a day after the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee announced criminal investigations into two senior military leaders, state-run media reported.

The country’s official news agency Xinhua reported that General Zhang Youxia, a member of the Politburo and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and General Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of joint staff, are under investigation “on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and the law.” The CPC described both as “untrustworthy individuals.”

Imagery and videos circulating online show active military convoys entering Beijing. Under Chinese law, movement of armed forces outside assigned regions is restricted, and any such convoy movement has raised questions about command directives. One video shows a civilian overtaking military vehicles on a public road.

The CMC is the top military authority in China, responsible for command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), People’s Armed Police and militia forces. Zhang was widely regarded as one of the most senior military figures, ranking directly after President Xi Jinping in military hierarchy.

Zhang is allegedly accused of treason, including claims he passed top-secret information on China’s nuclear program to the United States.

Unconfirmed accounts online have claimed that a coup attempt was thwarted and that there was an assassination attempt on Xi. There is no official confirmation of these claims, and independent verification is lacking.

Beijing has seen a heightened security presence in recent hours. Social media posts also allege broader personnel changes at high levels of the CPC and the PLA, though official statements about wider purges have not been issued.

Chinese leadership transitions and military reshuffles typically occur on multi-year cycles; Xi is widely expected to seek a fourth term as leader of the People’s Republic of China in 2027, but it is unclear how the current situation will affect that trajectory.