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Xi Jinping’s PLA purge inspired by assassination attempts: Guo Wengui

Attempts allegedly occurred during visits to Xinjiang and Hong Kong

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China's President Xi Jinping inspecting troops in Hong Kong in 2017.

China's President Xi Jinping inspecting troops in Hong Kong in 2017. (AP photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) purge of more than a hundred senior military officers might have been inspired by assassination attempts against him during visits to Hong Kong and Xinjiang, Taiwan’s CM Media reported Thursday (November 14).

The latest victim of the purge might have been Navy chief Shen Jinlong (沈金龍), whose name has been absent from more than 40 recent Navy-issued online news stories, according to the report.

Canada-based Kanwa Defense Report says that since 2016, more than 120 senior officers have retired, while others were said to be “showing problems.”

Guo Wengui (郭文貴), the exiled Chinese tycoon who often voices criticism of the communist regime, said Xi had been targeted by two bomb attacks in Xinjiang and also faced an attempt on his life when the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau bridge opened in October of last year, CM Media reported.

Guo also cited the alleged attacks in Xinjiang as one of the reasons Xi decided to crack down on the western region’s Muslim population.

While only assured control over about half of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since many officers were appointed by his predecessors, Xi has now also begun to purge the Public Security Bureau in a move that revealed doubts about his hold on power, Guo said.