On September 23, the PLA Daily published an editorial accusing Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli of abandoning their original aspirations and engaging in clique-forming, which severely endangered the Party's absolute leadership over the military, stating that investigating the two is a major victory for military anti-corruption.
On September 21, official announcements stated that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and the military due to serious violations of discipline and law.
On September 18, the Commission for Discipline Inspection of Chenzhou, Hunan, announced that Hu Qiming, former chairman of Zigong Cemented Carbide Co., Ltd., is suspected of serious disciplinary violations and illegal acts, and is currently undergoing review and investigation. The next day, online rumors circulated that he was suspected of smuggling waste tungsten alloy to Western military enterprises and accepting bribes, with four people reportedly arrested so far; however, these rumors have not yet been officially confirmed.
Xinhua News Agency officially released a press release on September 21 at Beijing time, confirming that Chinese top leader Xi Jinping will pay a two-day state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. Previously, Xi Jinping had not made a public appearance for seven consecutive days.
After experiencing health risks, Xi Jinping returned to the public eye on September 21 following his illness and immediately chaired a Politburo Standing Committee meeting. The meeting set the tone for comprehensive vetting and cracking down on potential dissidents and opposition forces within the party through ideological struggle and political line purges, aiming to prevent political turmoil triggered by sudden health crises.
It was officially announced that Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25, with an itinerary including a tour of the National Archives and attendance at a state dinner.
On September 21, the CCP Politburo meeting reviewed and approved disciplinary decisions for Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, both of whom were expelled from the Party and the military, and their suspected criminal matters were transferred to the military procuratorial organ for investigation and prosecution.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Xi Jinping was absent from the BRICS summit banquet due to illness, and Wang Yi attended on his behalf.
The US Department of State has approved a foreign military sale of air defense systems to Ukraine, including S-300 clone missiles, with a total estimated value of up to $2.68 billion.
Following Wang Zhongwei's protest in Washington, D.C. against Xi Jinping's visit to the US, his family in China was harassed by the police under the guise of persuasion.
On September 19, The Wall Street Journal reported that Xi Jinping temporarily cancelled his attendance at the BRICS summit banquet held in New Delhi, India on September 12 due to physical discomfort, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi attending on his behalf. Official Beijing has not provided an explanation for the absence, prompting outside concerns regarding his health status and power succession, though currently there is no evidence indicating he is seriously ill.
As of September 20, Xi Jinping has not made a public appearance for seven consecutive days. With his scheduled visit to Maryland's Andrews Air Force Base in the United States approaching in a few days, Xinhua News Agency and major Party media outlets have unusually published no articles regarding US-China friendship or exchanges over the past week, triggering external speculation about Xi Jinping's health and high-level political trends.
On the final day of the Russian parliamentary elections, the skies over Moscow were hit by a large-scale drone attack. An oil refinery in the Moscow Oblast caught fire, billowing black smoke, and the area near the Kremlin was also affected.
Between late 2025 and early 2026, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were plotted against and confirmed to be taken down. Subsequently, in late August 2026, the National People's Congress explicitly relieved Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli of their positions as deputies to the NPC and members of the Central Military Commission, among other posts, drawing external attention to the rift between the military and the central leadership.
According to multiple sources, Xi Jinping concluded his trip in India and flew back to Beijing, arriving at Daxing Airport at 9 p.m. that night. Upon deplaning, he apparently suffered a sudden stroke or other serious health issue, was unable to walk normally, had to be carried off the aircraft on a stretcher, and was then taken directly to the 301 Hospital for comprehensive medical examination and treatment.