In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global intelligence community, Beijing has officially turned its sights on its most powerful military figure. General Zhang Youxia, the 75-year-old Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law”.
According to the media reports he is probed for leaking of sensitive nuclear weapons data to the United States, the arch rival in global power race with China.
Treason or Tyranny? The Explosive Allegations
While the Ministry of National Defence has been vague, a report by The Wall Street Journal has pulled back the curtain on a high-level, closed-door briefing held for senior officers. The accusations against Zhang are nothing short of catastrophic. According to the report, Zhang is accused of leaking “core technical data” regarding China’s sensitive nuclear weapons program to the United States.
The report allegedly that General accepted massive bribes in exchange for high-level military promotions. He is also accused of forming “political cliques” and abusing his vast authority to undermine the Central Military Commission.
Whispers of a coup and armed clashes
As the official investigation unfolds, the digital landscape has been flooded with even more dramatic, unconfirmed, claims. Social media reports and local outlets have alluded to a failed military coup attempt against President Xi Jinping. These rumors suggest that Zhang and another senior general were detained following violent clashes between rogue military units and presidential security forces, leading to the lockdown of thousands of personnel.
However, the Western intelligence agencies have yet to confirmed a physical uprising, the media reports said.
The “zero-tolerance” purge
Zhang Youxia was long considered one of Xi Jinping’s most loyal “old guard” allies. His sudden descent into disgrace is the crown jewel in a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that has decimated the PLA’s leadership. Since 2023, more than 50 senior officers and defense executives have been vanished or purged, including former Defense Minister Li Shangfu.
Authorities have reportedly seized mobile devices from dozens of figures connected to Zhang, looking to dismantle a web of corruption tied to military procurement and “pay-to-play” promotions. The Chinese Embassy in Washington in a statement said that decision to investigate Zhang reflected the Communist Party’s “full-coverage, zero-tolerance approach to combating corruption.”
Expert skepticism: Political theater?
Not all analysts are convinced by the “nuclear leak” narrative. Neil Thomas, a Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, expressed skepticism regarding the treason charges. He noted that China’s nuclear establishment is under such extreme surveillance that a manual transfer of data by a top general would be nearly impossible. Thomas suggests that while corruption is likely real, the more “explosive” charges might be politically motivated to justify the total removal of a powerful faction, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Global implications: A nervous region
For neighboring powers like India, the chaos within the PLA command structure is a matter of urgent concern. As China continues its aggressive military expansion in the Indo-Pacific, the sudden “decapitation” of its top leadership suggests either deep-seated rot within its nuclear forces or a paranoid consolidation of power by Xi Jinping.