Xi Jinping’s most-trusted military ally just got accused of betraying China to the U.S.

China’s top general, Zhang Youxia, is now under investigation for allegedly sharing secret information about the country’s nuclear weapons program with the United States. Zhang was considered Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s most trusted military ally, making this a shocking turn of events. The investigation shows that Xi’s long-running fight against corruption has now reached the highest levels of power, even affecting his closest friends.

Authorities announced the investigation into Gen. Zhang Youxia and Gen. Liu Zhenli, the chief of the Joint Staff Department, last Saturday. The official statement only mentioned a probe into serious violations of party discipline and state laws. However, a high-level briefing held that morning for top military officers revealed the real accusations, including the alleged leak of nuclear weapons data.

According to The Wall Street Journal, some of the evidence against Gen. Zhang came from an ongoing investigation into Gu Jun, the former general manager of the China National Nuclear Corp. This organization oversees all of China’s military and civilian nuclear programs. During the briefing, authorities revealed that the investigation into Gu linked Zhang directly to a security breach in the nuclear sector.

Zhang faces serious corruption charges beyond espionage claims

Beyond the spying allegations, Zhang is also being investigated for major corruption at home. People familiar with the briefing said he allegedly took large amounts of money in exchange for helping people get promotions in the military’s big-budget buying system. 

This includes helping former Defense Minister Li Shangfu rise through the ranks in exchange for big bribes. Li himself was removed from office last year for corruption. Zhang is also accused of creating political groups to build networks of influence and abuse his power within the Central Military Commission, the top military decision-making body.

This investigation is especially surprising because of Zhang’s background. He is one of China’s “princelings,” meaning he comes from a family of revolutionary leaders. His father fought alongside Xi’s father during the Chinese civil war, and their close family bond made Zhang seem untouchable. 

Christopher Johnson, head of China Strategies Group, called the move “unprecedented in the history of the Chinese military and represents the total annihilation of the high command.” The development comes as Trump reshapes his approach to alliances in ways that could affect regional security.

Some experts believe the investigation is less about corruption and more about political control. The military’s main newspaper, the PLA Daily, ran an article suggesting Zhang had “severely trampled on and undermined” the power of the CMC chairman. 

This strongly suggests that Zhang had gained too much power outside of Xi’s direct control. Lyle Morris, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, noted that Xi’s decision to remove a longtime ally shows he “is confident in his consolidation of power over the military.”

However, this aggressive removal of military leaders is hurting China’s military readiness. Since the summer of 2023, the party has removed top officers from the army, navy, air force, and strategic-missile force. 

While Xi sees widespread corruption and the leak of state secrets as major threats to his goal of controlling Taiwan, the removal of so many senior officers will likely hurt combat effectiveness. This could actually lower the immediate risk of an invasion of Taiwan, as Beijing seems to be shifting to a more careful strategy. 

They appear to be looking first to make a deal with President Trump on Taiwan as the two countries prepare for important negotiations on trade and security matters this year. Understanding Trump’s recent foreign policy shifts becomes crucial as these high-stakes discussions approach.