Zhang Guoqing represents Xi at France’s nuclear summit as China’s military faces historic internal chaos
The Summit Xi Did Not Attend Himself
On March 9, 2026, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, would travel to Paris to represent President Xi Jinping at the Second Nuclear Energy Summit, hosted by the French government. The first Nuclear Energy Summit had been held in Brussels in 2024. Zhang would arrive in France between March 9 and 12 for what Beijing’s state media described as a routine diplomatic representation. The announcement was brief, formulaic, and easy to overlook in a news cycle dominated by the US-Israeli military operation in Iran, China’s Two Sessions political theater, and the ongoing exposure of the party’s sweeping military purges. But the details of who China sent, and why Xi chose not to attend himself, tell a story worth examining carefully.
Nuclear Energy as a CCP Strategic Asset
China’s investment in nuclear energy has been massive and deliberate. Beijing operates one of the world’s fastest-growing nuclear energy programs, with dozens of reactors either operational or under construction, and ambitions to become a global exporter of nuclear technology through state-owned enterprises like China National Nuclear Corporation and China General Nuclear Power Group. Both companies operate under close state supervision and have been flagged by US government agencies for their links to China’s military nuclear program. The Second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris, organized by the French government, brought together leaders from countries seeking to expand civilian nuclear power capacity as part of their climate and energy security strategies. For Beijing, the summit represents a commercial and geopolitical opportunity: to position Chinese state-owned nuclear companies as preferred partners for developing nations seeking nuclear energy infrastructure.
What State Ownership Actually Means
When the CCP’s state-owned enterprises build nuclear power plants in other countries, they do not do so as independent commercial entities operating under the rules of market competition. They operate as arms of the Chinese state, subject to party direction and required, under Chinese law, to cooperate with state intelligence and security requirements. The implications of this for countries that accept Chinese nuclear infrastructure are serious and have been documented by security researchers in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear security framework provides the international standards that should govern all civilian nuclear programs, regardless of who builds the infrastructure.
The Purge Context That Cannot Be Ignored
Zhang Guoqing’s dispatch to Paris coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in China’s military history in decades. The Rocket Force, which controls China’s nuclear arsenal, had its entire leadership swept out in Xi’s ongoing anti-corruption purge. Senior commanders responsible for the operational management of China’s nuclear weapons were removed from their positions in a purge that analysts described as unprecedented in its scope and speed. The military delegation at the concurrent National People’s Congress sessions was visibly reduced. Xi himself was in Beijing demanding absolute political loyalty from what remained of his officer corps. Into this context, Beijing sent Zhang Guoqing to represent China at an international summit on civilian nuclear energy, projecting the image of a confident, technologically capable power engaged constructively in global energy governance, even as the internal management of its own military nuclear capabilities was in serious disarray.
What the Democratic World Should Ask
The democratic world’s governments and civil society organizations attending and observing the Paris Nuclear Energy Summit should be asking hard questions about the governance structures of the Chinese nuclear enterprises seeking international partnerships. They should be examining the security implications of allowing state-owned companies with documented links to China’s military nuclear program to build infrastructure in countries that value democratic governance and genuine energy security. The Nuclear Threat Initiative China nuclear analysis provides essential background on China’s nuclear posture and the relationship between its civilian and military programs. The International Institute for Strategic Studies nuclear research tracks global nuclear developments with the rigor that decisions of this magnitude require. For Hong Kong, for Taiwan, and for every democratic society trying to navigate a world in which Chinese state power is extending itself through infrastructure investment and technology export, the nuclear energy sector deserves the same scrutiny that has been applied to Huawei telecommunications, TikTok data management, and Chinese port infrastructure investment. The stakes are no lower. Zhang Guoqing’s trip to Paris is not a routine diplomatic event. It is a window into a CCP strategy of extending state influence through civilian technology sectors that democracies have not yet learned to adequately scrutinize.
Jessica Lam
Politics & Diaspora Affairs Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: jessica.lam@appledaily.uk
Jessica Lam is a politics and diaspora affairs journalist with specialized expertise in Hong Kong governance, overseas Chinese communities, and democratic movements. Educated at a leading UK journalism institution, she received advanced training in political reporting, international law basics, and source protection, equipping her for complex cross-border coverage.
Jessica has worked with Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese publications, reporting on electoral systems, civic participation, protest movements, and policy developments affecting the Chinese diaspora. Her work demonstrates strong command of political context and an ability to translate complex issues into accessible, fact-driven journalism.
She brings real-world newsroom experience in covering time-sensitive political developments while maintaining strict verification standards. Jessica regularly works with primary documents, expert interviews, and multiple independent sources to ensure balanced and accurate reporting.
Her authority is reinforced by consistent publication within established news organizations and by adherence to editorial review processes. She is known for transparent attribution and for distinguishing clearly between reporting and analysis.
Jessica Lam’s journalism reflects professional experience, subject-matter expertise, and a strong ethical foundation. At Apple Daily UK, she contributes trusted political coverage that serves readers seeking independent and credible information.
