A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Baqen County in Nagqu, Tibet. Official reports state 16 deaths and over 10,000 people affected and displaced. The Western Theater Command's decision to send only drones for post-disaster surveillance has sparked public questioning.
About 26 hours after the disaster, two Chinese rescue helicopters arrived in the affected area; the Western Theater Command, the Tibet Military Region and the armed police dispatched a total of about 500 personnel, and drones were used to carry out disaster-relief-related work.
According to the program, multiple troops from the Western Theater Command and Northern Theater Command have quietly begun gathering toward Beijing, with related actions alleged to be connected to the arrest of Zhang Youxia.
According to the program, after Zhang Youxia was arrested, the Western Theater Command expressed strong dissatisfaction due to his long-standing relationships with the 13th and 14th Armies.
There are reports that a military conflict occurred within the Western Theater Command, with some personnel targeting forces dispatched by Xi Jinping. The central directive was reportedly rejected after reaching the Western Theater Command.
The program cited information from Beijing saying that several generals of the Western Theater Command have refused to travel to Beijing for meetings and may declare their break from the Central Military Commission.
Huang Ruixue, head of the Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department, is reported to have died suddenly in bizarre circumstances. Videos claim his death may be linked to an internal purge of pro-Xi factions within the Western Theater Command; the relevant claims have not been further verified.