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The Global Story

The Global Story

President Xi’s purges

13 May 2026

28 minutes

Available for over a year

For the first time in nearly a decade a sitting American President is travelling to China. While tensions between the US and China have been simmering for a while now, over everything from tariffs to Taiwan, Donald Trump has expressed admiration for his powerful Chinese counterpart.

Meanwhile in China, President Xi has been conducting a years long “purge” on the military elite.

The BBC’s Celia Hatton joins us to discuss whether this should be seen as a weakness… or a strength.

Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior News Editor: China Collins

Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in 2019.