China’s General Investigated for Leaking Nuclear Secrets to US
Serious allegations have emerged against China’s most senior general, including claims of leaking sensitive information regarding the nation’s nuclear weapons programme to the US and accepting bribes in exchange for official favours, as per reports. On Saturday, China’s Defence Ministry revealed that two senior military officers are under investigation for significant breaches of Communist Party discipline and national laws. Included in this group is General Zhang Youxia, the top-ranking official in the People’s Liberation Army. During Saturday’s briefing, officials stated that the investigation into Gu Jun, the former general manager of China National Nuclear Corporation, had connected Zhang to a security breach in China’s nuclear sector. Nevertheless, officials refrained from disclosing particular information regarding the specifics of that breach. The report states that Zhang is accused of forming political cliques, a term that refers to the creation of influence networks that undermine party unity. He is also alleged to have misused his authority within the Central Military Commission, the Communist Party’s highest decision-making body for the armed forces.
Zhang faces allegations of disclosing essential technical information pertaining to China’s nuclear weapons programme to the United States. Individuals acquainted with the case indicated that he purportedly accepted substantial bribes in return for endorsing promotions within this high-budget defense procurement system. The breadth of the investigation indicates that it is of utmost seriousness. Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed a special task force to undertake a comprehensive examination of Zhang’s five-year leadership as commander of the Shenyang Military Region from 2007 to 2012. Authorities have seized mobile phones from officers who advanced their careers under Zhang and General Liu Zhenli, the chief of the Joint Staff Department, whose investigation was also announced on Saturday. Consequently, thousands of officers associated with the two men may now face examination. The report indicates that the decision to investigate Zhang, perceived as a close ally of President Xi, demonstrates that there are effectively no limits to Xi’s anti-corruption campaign.
Experts caution that China’s highly secretive political system complicates a full understanding of Xi’s true motives. Insights provided to party insiders, like those presented in Saturday’s briefing, might not reveal the entire narrative behind the action. Meanwhile, the local newspaper PLA Daily accused him of seriously undermining the authority of the CMC Chairman, a role held by Xi. This implies that Zhang might have amassed an excessive amount of independent authority beyond Xi’s immediate oversight. Numerous analysts characterize the ongoing crackdown as the most forceful restructuring of China’s military leadership since the time of Mao Zedong. The case highlights Xi’s unmistakable aim to maintain total dominance over the military. Experts caution that the swift removal of numerous senior officers has resulted in a significant leadership vacuum at the upper echelons of the PLA. This may impair the military’s capacity to strategize and carry out extensive and intricate operations in the foreseeable future.
In October of the previous year, China expelled General He Weidong, the nation’s second-highest ranking military officer, along with eight senior officials of the People’s Liberation Army, due to serious disciplinary violations and alleged duty-related crimes. Since assuming leadership in 2012, Xi has focused on hundreds of high-ranking officers, including former CMC vice-chairmen, in an effort to strengthen political control over the PLA and address issues of malpractice in defense procurement and promotions.
