According to the WSJ, Zhang Yusya, a high-ranking general in the Chinese armed forces, is suspected of passing confidential information about China's nuclear weapons to the United States.
Sources reported that the general is also under investigation for forming political groups, indicating his attempts to undermine party unity and abuse of power within the top military leadership known as the Central Military Commission.
A briefing that took place on Saturday morning with the participation of high-ranking military officials preceded a statement from China's Ministry of National Defense announcing the start of an investigation into Zhang, who was previously considered a close ally of Chairman Xi Jinping.
The official statement did not provide detailed information; however, sources report serious violations of party discipline and laws.
Zhang is also accused of receiving large bribes in exchange for promotions, including a notable case involving former Defense Minister Li Shangfu.
Xi Jinping has instructed the investigative team to conduct a thorough investigation into Zhang's activities during his tenure as commander of the Shenyang Military Region, which he held from 2007 to 2012. According to sources, the team has already arrived in Shenyang and is staying in local hotels to avoid possible support from Zhang.
During the investigation, mobile devices were seized from officers who worked with Zhang and General Liu Zhenli. Both generals are under suspicion, and their actions are also being scrutinized.
Since the summer of 2023, Chinese authorities have begun the removal of senior army officers, including those from the air force and navy, as well as leaders in the defense industry. According to official information, over the past two and a half years, more than 50 high-profile military officers have been investigated or removed from their positions.
Xi Jinping is conducting large-scale purges in the military leadership, unprecedented since the time of Mao Zedong. Although Zhang and Liu formally remain in their positions in the Central Military Commission, such investigations usually end in detentions.
Among the dismissed officers are four members of the Central Military Commission, leaving only two active members in this body, which oversees about 2 million PLA personnel — Xi himself and General Shengmin, who is responsible for discipline.
The ongoing investigations highlight the scale of the problems Xi Jinping faces in his efforts to modernize the PLA. His frustration with General Zhang's results may be linked to the need to prepare the army for a potential takeover of Taiwan by next year.
According to Dennis Wilder, a former CIA analyst on China, this event is one of the most significant in Chinese politics since Xi came to power. Zhang, who has made significant strides in the struggle for influence within the party, has now become a potential threat to Xi Jinping.
“He is a tough, stubborn man who, although he was an ally of Xi, was never his subordinate,” Wilder emphasizes, speaking about General Zhang.
