[threatofrain]

You're assuming that this guy was actually being prosecuted for crimes or that this guy lacked loyalty to Xi Jinping. A tremendous number of top generals and leadership has been wiped out in a short time and not necessarily refilled, and it's not because China has a huge disloyalty problem.

[Supermancho]

> You're assuming that this guy was actually being prosecuted for crimes or that this guy lacked loyalty to Xi Jinping

That's not an "or" question, imo. If you threaten the king by having too much power, too many allies, or too keen a mind, you get moved off the board. Disloyalty and risk of disloyalty are both abhorrent to autocrats.

[xyzsparetimexyz]

Does it actually have a huge disloyalty problem or are they just better at punishing people for it compared to the us

[fakedang]

Given that they've already carried out a Stalinist purge within the military ranks, I'm leaning towards the former. Xi might very well be positioning for a Taiwanese invasion.

[mmooss]

> it's not because China has a huge disloyalty problem.

Why not? Dictators often purge anyone who is a threat, often because they form a possibly competitive power structure (regardless of their intent), and often because of paranoid perceived disloyalty, and for actual disloyalty.

And corruption is the cover story they commonly use - it's vague, general, the public sees enough gov't corruption to believe it and to hate it. Trials are not needed. Off the top of my head, Putin in Russia, Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, ...