Did Opposing a Taiwan Invasion Lead to Zhang Youxia’s Downfall? Insider Claims

New allegations are pointing to a possible rift between former Chinese military leader Zhang Youxia and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping over a potential invasion of Taiwan. The disagreement may have contributed to Zhang’s downfall, as reports of widespread corruption within the military continue to cast doubt on China’s readiness for a major conflict.

According to a Nov. 8 report by The Epoch Times, a source close to senior CCP officials, identified by the pseudonym Tang Ming, claimed that Zhang opposed military action against Taiwan because he doubted the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) ability to sustain a prolonged conflict, particularly if the United States and Japan intervened.

Taiwan has governed itself separately from mainland China since 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist government, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), retreated to the island after being driven out by rebel communist forces. Despite having never governed Taiwan, Beijing considers the island a “breakaway province” and has repeatedly vowed to bring it under its control, refusing to rule out the use of military force to achieve unification under its “One China” principle.

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Disagreements over Taiwan

Zhang, formerly vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was placed under investigation alongside senior military official Liu Zhenli on Jan. 24, 2026, for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law,” the standard phrase used in corruption and misconduct probes of CCP officials.

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The pair’s formal expulsions from the CCP were later confirmed during the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, which concluded on Oct. 29. The meeting also confirmed the expulsions of additional 33 senior officials, including 16 military figures, in one of the most extensive purges of China’s political and military leadership in recent years.

Tang claimed Zhang’s removal was primarily connected to disagreements over Taiwan rather than an attempt to challenge Xi’s control of the military. “Why didn’t Zhang Youxia advocate fighting? Do you think he genuinely cared about the Taiwan issue? He didn’t. He knew the current military system couldn’t fight a war against Taiwan,” Tang told The Epoch Times.

According to the source, Zhang became increasingly pessimistic about the PLA’s capabilities after learning the extent of corruption involving weapons procurement, missile systems, and military equipment. Tang also suggested that Zhang was particularly concerned about a prolonged conflict involving the United States and Japan.

“If they really started fighting, and it dragged on for years like Russia’s war, the CCP would be worn down in two years,” he said. Tang said Zhang feared being held responsible if an invasion failed.

Corruption scandal engulfs China’s Rocket Force

Questions surrounding the PLA’s combat capabilities have intensified following years of investigations into the Rocket Force, which oversees China’s land-based nuclear and conventional missile systems.

In January 2024, Bloomberg reported that U.S. intelligence assessments had identified extensive corruption affecting China’s military modernization. Examples reportedly included missiles containing water instead of fuel and missile silos with defective launch mechanisms. The reported findings raised questions about the reliability and readiness of China’s strategic weapons.

Since 2023, numerous senior Rocket Force commanders and defense officials have been investigated or removed, including former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu.

The crackdown has continued into 2026. On Aug. 24, the PLA’s official procurement website published a notice soliciting information about procurement irregularities involving Rocket Force units. The notice invited suppliers, procurement specialists, and military personnel to report suspected violations involving equipment, construction projects, services, and medical supplies.

Concerns over intelligence leaks

Beyond procurement corruption, Tang claimed that sensitive Chinese military information had reached the U.S. through individuals connected to the defense establishment. He claimed that information concerning China’s nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, and missile systems had been compromised.

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The U.S. Air University’s China Aerospace Studies Institute has independently published detailed research on the Rocket Force’s organization and nuclear weapons infrastructure. Its March 2026 report examined China’s nuclear warhead storage, maintenance, transportation, and command structures.

Tang also claimed that Huawei maintained close connections with Ma Xingrui, the former Xinjiang Party secretary who previously held senior positions in Guangdong. “Huawei and Ma Xingrui have very close ties, including these families,” he claimed. Tang further suggested that sensitive military and government information could have been exposed through commercial relationships involving telecommunications equipment and defense procurement.

Huawei is currently on trial in a U.S. federal court in New York over charges including racketeering conspiracy, bank and wire fraud, and conspiring to steal trade secrets from American technology companies. Prosecutors also accuse the Chinese telecommunications giant of misleading financial institutions about its business dealings in Iran and North Korea and supplying surveillance equipment used to monitor Iranian protesters. Huawei has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

AI adds another wrinkle

To further complicate matters, a September 2026 threat intelligence report by Anthropic raised concerns about sensitive Chinese government and military information being exposed through artificial intelligence platforms. The company alleged that Chinese AI developer Moonshot secretly forwarded customer requests to its Claude system, including surveillance data submitted by a user Anthropic assessed as likely affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The company also reported that an engineer at a major Chinese state-owned enterprise exposed internal code and credentials through the service. These findings demonstrate potential risks associated with transferring sensitive information between AI platforms and raise questions about how effectively Chinese government agencies and state-affiliated enterprises are safeguarding sensitive data, particularly as AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily operations.