Xi Jinping is fighting for his survival, and his paranoia has reached its peak.

One must acknowledge Xi Jinping’s exceptional qualities: he is a fighter who will stop at nothing, and he will spare no expense to retain his position within the Chinese Communist Party. For Xi Jinping, the end once again justifies the means. The moment he detects even the slightest hint of disloyalty or open defection, he will use the anti-corruption campaign to marginalize or eliminate both opponents and allies alike.

Meanwhile, China’s rumour mill is abuzz with speculation that some of Xi Jinping’s most trusted aides and confidants have either already defected or are on the verge of doing so. Understandably, this unsettles Xi Jinping—and that is putting it mildly. Of course, one must not place too much credence in rumours. However, it would come as no surprise if individuals with links to the military-industrial complex were to suddenly die or disappear under mysterious circumstances. It is said that Xi Jinping is furious over the performance of the weapons systems sold to Iran. This has completely derailed the grand plan to invade Taiwan this year. In the wake of this scandal, Xi Jinping is acutely aware that the mainland is not guaranteed victory in such a war.

In the political arena, the recent cascade of corruption scandals is reportedly linked to confidants close to Xi Jinping. Local officials appear to have been made scapegoats. These dismissals present a stark contrast to recent cases within the People’s Liberation Army, state security or police forces. Those downfalls bear the hallmarks of both conservatives and reformists. They constitute a direct slap in the face for Xi Jinping. Coupled with Wen Jiabao’s sudden public appearance, this is sufficient to illustrate the full extent of the current power struggle. Even whilst on the offensive, Xi Jinping has inevitably been forced onto the defensive. The following analogy best illustrates the situation: imagine Xi Jinping and his allies as the embodiment of missile defence systems such as THAAD, Arrow, David’s Sling, Patriot or Iron Dome. They must perform flawlessly, whilst the ‘Princelings’, reformists and conservatives need only one decisive victory. No wonder it is said that Xi Jinping’s nerves are now stretched to the breaking point.