China has launched an investigation into one of its most senior military leaders, General Zhang Youxia, over allegations of leaking sensitive nuclear weapons information to the United States and accepting bribes for official acts, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
According to the report, Zhang is accused of providing details about China’s nuclear weapons programme to U.S. officials. He is also under scrutiny for allegedly taking bribes in exchange for facilitating promotions within the military.
People familiar with a high-level internal briefing said Zhang is suspected of accepting payments to enable key appointments, including the promotion of Li Shangfu as defence minister. Li was removed from office in 2023 amid a separate corruption probe.
The briefing, attended by some of the Chinese military’s highest-ranking officers, reportedly took place on Saturday, shortly before the Ministry of National Defense announced the investigation. Zhang was long regarded as a close and trusted military ally of President Xi Jinping, making the probe a significant political development.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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