Recent reports of a potential coup attempt in China center on January 2026 events involving senior PLA figures Zhang Youxia, then vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, chief of the Joint Staff Department. Unverified accounts described a foiled plot to detain Xi Jinping, followed by arrests and an exchange of fire, though Chinese authorities framed subsequent actions as investigations into disciplinary violations. By September 2026, both were expelled from the Communist Party and military for alleged factionalism and disloyalty, part of broader purges that reduced the CMC and removed multiple generals. Analysts link the moves to Xi's efforts to ensure loyalty amid debates over military readiness and Taiwan policy, with state media emphasizing anti-corruption measures. These developments have fueled trader interest in coup-related markets amid ongoing opacity around internal power dynamics.