Leaked Nuclear Secrets: China Arrests Top Military Leader Close to Xi Jinping

China’s top general has been accused of leaking information about the country’s nuclear program to the United States and of accepting bribes to facilitate official promotions, including that of an officer to the post of defense minister.

This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing attendees of a closed briefing on the case.

The briefing, attended by some of China’s senior military commanders, took place shortly before the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China issued a statement announcing an investigation into General Zhang Youxia.

He had previously been considered one of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s closest military allies.

The official statement provided minimal details, only noting that Zhang was under investigation for serious violations of party discipline and state law.

Sources familiar with the undisclosed briefing said Zhang is suspected of forming political cliques — a term in the Chinese system that refers to informal networks undermining the Communist Party’s unity.

He is also accused of abusing his authority in the Central Military Commission, the top body overseeing the PLA’s administration.

Investigators are focusing on the period when Zhang headed the influential department responsible for military research, development, and procurement.

According to sources, the general allegedly received large sums in exchange for official appointments and promotions within the military procurement system, which operates with multi-billion-dollar budgets.

Zhang Youxia’s Removal and Its Consequences

Zhang’s removal makes the purge of the PRC general staff one of the largest personnel reshuffles in the Chinese military since the dispersal of protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Control over the armed forces is widely seen as critical to the power and political survival of Chinese leaders. Historically, internal party struggles have often been won by those with authority and influence over the military.

Zhang’s dismissal highlights Xi’s drive for absolute concentration of power.

As first vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, a role combining responsibilities similar to those of a US defense minister, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and national security adviser, Zhang held exceptionally broad authority.

He oversaw strategy, promotions, and budgets, and reported directly to Xi. Analysts had considered him virtually untouchable due to his combat experience and personal ties to Xi.

Zhang had survived previous purges among the generals, retained significant loyalty within the military, and remained in his top post well past the normal retirement age.

Analysts say his removal reflects Xi’s urgent effort to “restore order” in the military leadership, despite Zhang’s planned retirement at the next party congress in 2027.

Xi’s unprecedented consolidation of military power also narrows the circle of decision-makers on Taiwan and other strategic issues, including control of China’s nuclear arsenal.

Analysts note that the older generation of PLA leaders has historically acted as a moderating influence in military planning.

The reshuffle comes as Xi seeks to rapidly modernize the military and achieve strategic objectives, including the declared ability to conduct operations against Taiwan by 2027.