Former senior Chinese defense official charged with bribery

Zhang Jianhua, a former deputy head of China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, has been formally charged with accepting bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege that Zhang abused his multiple previous positions, including head of the department of finance and audit, chief engineer, and deputy head of the administration, to seek benefits for others. They also allege that Zhang exploited his authority or influence, both while in office and after leaving his posts, to obtain improper benefits for others through the actions of other state officials, and illegally accepted large sums of money and property. The alleged conduct constitutes crimes of bribery and bribery through influence.

The case was previously investigated by the National Supervisory Commission and transferred to prosecutors for review.

Acting with the authority of the national body, the Sichuan Provincial People's Procuratorate approved Zhang's arrest, while the Dazhou People's Procuratorate in Sichuan has filed a public prosecution with the city's Intermediate People's Court.

Zhang, 64, a native of Jiangsu province, started his career in 1983 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1985. He worked in the national defense system for a number of decades before being placed under disciplinary and supervisory investigation in May 2025. He was expelled from the Party in October.