Chinese Military General, Under Investigation for Bribery Commits Suicide

A Chinese general who disappeared from public view while under investigation for corruption was found dead at his home in Beijing after apparently committing suicide, state media said on Tuesday.

The general, Zhang Yang, committed suicide on Nov. 23, the state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing China’s Central Military Commission. The Xinhua report said Mr. Zhang was living at home while he was being questioned in connection with unspecified corruption charges.

Mr. Zhang, 66, who had been director of the political department of the People’s Liberation Army, disappeared from public sight more than two months ago amid a crackdown on corruption by President Xi Jinping. Besides Mr. Zhang, Gen. Fang Fenghui, a rising star in the Chinese military, also vanished from public view.

Suicides by such high-ranking officials are highly unusual, and it was unclear what effect Mr. Zhang’s death could have on Mr. Xi’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign. Mr. Xi has used the campaign to remove dozens of generals and tighten his control over the military, one of China’s most powerful institutions.

Mr. Zhang committed “serious violations of discipline and the law and was suspected of the crimes of bribery as well as huge amounts of assets in which the sources are unknown,” the Xinhua report said.Continue reading the main story

The Xinhua report said that at the time of his death, Mr. Zhang was being investigated for links to Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, the two highest-ranking army commanders netted so far in Mr. Xi’s crackdown.