High-Level Treason Allegations: China Investigates Top General for Leaking Nuclear Secrets to U.S.

BEIJING — In a development that has sent shockwaves through the global intelligence community, China has launched a high-level probe into General Zhang Youxia, the first-ranked Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the veteran general is accused of leaking highly classified technical data regarding China’s nuclear weapons program to the United States.

The investigation marks a dramatic downfall for a man long considered a pillar of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and a stalwart ally of President Xi Jinping.

A Storied Military Career

General Zhang Youxia (75) occupies a unique position in the Chinese hierarchy. As the senior of the two vice chiefs of the CMC—China's supreme military decision-making body—he held authority over all strategic military operations.

Unlike many modern bureaucrats, Zhang is a "princeling" with genuine combat experience, having served in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War and the 1984 Battle of Laoshan. His father was the legendary General Zhang Zongxun, a history that cemented his status as a central figure within the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) "Red Nobility."

The Allegations: Espionage and Corruption

While the Chinese Defense Ministry officially cited "serious violations of discipline and law"—a common euphemism for corruption—insiders suggest the scope of the probe is far more severe. According to the WSJ, top officials were briefed on several explosive charges:

Nuclear Espionage: Allegations that Zhang shared critical technical blueprints and strategic details of China's nuclear triad with U.S. intelligence.

 Bribery: Accusations of accepting illicit payments in exchange for high-level military promotions, including the appointment of a recent defense minister.

 Institutional Subversion: Allegations that Zhang attempted to build a personal power base within the CMC to sow internal division.

Evidence reportedly linking Zhang to security breaches in nuclear reactors was provided by Gu Ju, the former general manager of the China National Nuclear Corporation, who is himself under investigation.

Analysis: Purge or National Security Breach?

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington framed the move as part of the CCP’s "zero-tolerance" policy toward corruption. However, geopolitical analysts view the targeting of such a powerful figure as a significant escalation of President Xi’s efforts to ensure absolute loyalty within the armed forces.

Since 2012, Xi’s anti-corruption campaign has penalized over 200,000 officials. The detention of General Zhang and General Liu Zhenli (Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department) suggests that the "stability" of China’s military leadership remains a primary concern for the Presidency as it seeks to modernize its nuclear capabilities.