China’s defense ministry has announced an investigation into Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law.” Zhang, who is second-in-command under President Xi Jinping, is widely regarded as one of Xi’s closest military allies.
Gatekeepers News reports that the ministry also said Liu Zhenli, a CMC member and chief of staff of the CMC joint staff department, is under investigation for similar allegations. The statement, released on Saturday, did not provide further details but confirmed that the Communist Party of China (CPC) central committee authorized the probe. Zhang is a member of the CPC Political Bureau.
According to sources familiar with a briefing attended by top Chinese officers, reported by The Wall Street Journal, Zhang is accused of sharing sensitive technical information on China’s nuclear weapons with the United States.
The general is also alleged to have tried to consolidate personal influence within the party’s top military decision-making body, potentially sowing division in the organization.
Both Zhang and Liu are among the few active Chinese generals with combat experience dating back to border skirmishes with Vietnam. Observers say the investigation is among the most significant into senior Chinese military officials in decades.
The probe follows the release of the US national defense strategy, which identified China as a major military power whose ambitions must be deterred to prevent domination over the US or its allies.
