But there are unofficial whispers: Mr Zhang, rumours suggest, is accused of having leaked nuclear secrets to the United States of America. Since 2024,Mr Xi has ousted five out of the seven members of the CMC, including Mr Zhang and Mr Liu. Only Mr Xi himself and another commander remain. Within China, it suggests tensions between Mr Xi and his political allies on the one hand and a large section of the military leadership — that he had himself appointed — on the other. But a storm can also build up and eventu­ally disrupt the apparent calm, even in Mr Xi’s China.

Source: The Telegraph January 30, 2026 02:51 UTC