Xi Jinping and China could be in trouble ¡ª at least that¡¯s what the headlines could lead one to conclude following the apparent recent purge of two of Beijing¡¯s key interlocutors with the rest of the world, both high-profile loyalists in the Chinese leader¡¯s government.

But the well-known opacity in Beijing may have clouded assessments of how the turbulence is affecting Xi¡¯s grip on power and his decision-making as China¡¯s competition with the United States heats up.

While the lack of transparency and predictability adds more questions and fuels speculation about China, some experts say this doesn¡¯t necessarily translate to tough times ahead for Xi, the country¡¯s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.