Unverified Coup Claims and Nuclear Leak Allegations Fuel Speculation Over China's Military Turmoil

Unverified reports of a thwarted military coup in China and allegations that a top general leaked nuclear secrets to the United States have spread rapidly across social media, prompting concern from European security analysts about potential instability in the world's second-largest economy.

The claims, which cite sources attributed to Reuters and Bloomberg, allege that President Xi Jinping received intelligence about an attempted coup just two hours before it was set to occur and subsequently arrested nearly 3,000 people, including military personnel and their families.

Separately, China's most senior general, Zhang Youxia, has reportedly been accused of leaking technical data about the country's nuclear weapons programme to the United States.

Neither Reuters nor Bloomberg have published stories confirming these specific coup claims. What has been verified is that Xi Jinping has launched what analysts describe as the largest military purge in Chinese history since 1949, with the Central Military Commission effectively being gutted of its senior leadership.

What We Know

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Zhang Youxia, 75, who served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and ranked second only to Xi Jinping in military authority, is under investigation for allegedly leaking nuclear weapons information to Washington.

According to NPR, Zhang is also accused of taking bribes in exchange for promoting officers within China's defence procurement system. The investigation reportedly began after authorities launched a probe into Gu Jun, the former chief executive of China National Nuclear Corp.

Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department, has also been placed under investigation by China's ruling Communist Party. If Zhang is removed, he would become the highest-ranking officer expelled from the Chinese military since the suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.

Christopher Johnson, a former CIA analyst, told The New York Times that the move was unprecedented in the history of the Chinese military and represented total annihilation of the high command.

Coup Claims Remain Unverified

While the purges are real, the specific claims of a thwarted coup attempt circulating on social media remain unverified. High-engagement posts have accumulated tens of thousands of interactions claiming Xi received advance warning of a military takeover.

Western analysts who spoke to The Telegraph said the drastic moves showed strength rather than weakness on Xi's part, suggesting this is a consolidation of power rather than a response to an actual coup attempt.

Michael Flynn, former US National Security Advisor, posted on X that a coup is underway in China, though this appears to be speculation rather than confirmed intelligence.

What This Means for Europe

The turmoil in China's military leadership carries significant implications for European security and economic interests.

First, analysts at the Asia Society Policy Institute say the purge has left the People's Liberation Army in disarray and will delay any potential move against Taiwan. As one expert told media outlets: the Taiwan contingency could not be pulled off with no senior leaders in charge.

For Europe, this represents both an opportunity and a risk. The EU has been working to establish strategic autonomy amid growing US-China tensions. Beijing's internal instability could accelerate European efforts to reduce dependency on Chinese supply chains.

However, an unstable China also poses risks. European companies with significant exposure to Chinese markets face uncertainty. The EU exported goods worth over 200 billion euros to China in recent years, making it a critical trade partner.

The allegations of nuclear secrets being leaked to Washington also raise questions about the integrity of global non-proliferation efforts and intelligence-sharing arrangements that affect European security.

EU Response

European officials have yet to comment publicly on the reports. The European External Action Service typically monitors such developments but has not issued any statements.

For now, European policymakers face the challenge of preparing for multiple scenarios without knowing whether the instability reflects genuine internal conflict or Xi's continued consolidation of one-man rule.

What is clear is that China's military leadership has been transformed in ways that will affect global security calculations for years to come. For the European Union, the developments reinforce the case for accelerating defence cooperation and reducing strategic vulnerabilities to great power competition.