A purported open letter from Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, to Xi Jinping circulated on social media platform X between 2:15:55 AM and 4:45 AM UTC on January 30, 2026. The letter, shared by @NFSCtime in post ID 2016957496401826020, details policy differences on the Central Military Commission Chairman Responsibility System, Taiwan reunification, Russia cooperation, and military promotions, according to source metadata. The letter claims Zhang anticipates arrest without disciplinary or legal violations, attributing it to differing views with Xi Jinping that should be resolved through democratic centralism. It references Zhang's refusal to pursue a military coup to avoid civil war, invoking Zhao Ziyang and Deng Xiaoping's 1989 events, as stated in the X post. Zhang urges Xi to handle victory gracefully and avoid extreme measures. The post warns that any arrest would occur via coup-like action by a small group, bypassing Political Bureau discussion but announced under Central Committee authority. No official statements from Chinese authorities or the involved parties confirming or denying the letter's authenticity have been issued during the 2-hour-30-minute reporting window, per available sources. The circulation follows an earlier social media post about the India-China Nathu La Pass border shared before 2:15 AM UTC, but no direct connection to the letter appears in new sources.
