Chinese state media reported on Wednesday that the chief of China’s civilian and military nuclear programmes has been placed under investigation for alleged “grave violations of discipline”.

That usually means corruption, in the language of the Communist Party’s Central Committee for Discipline Inspection.

Kang Rixin, 56, is president of the state-owned China National Nuclear Corp., which is the country’s largest nuclear power developer and operator. It is responsible for nuclear power generation, nuclear weapons production, uranium mining, and nuclear waste disposal, and also conducts research and development.

Billions are currently being spent on China’s nuclear industry. It has six nuclear power plants – all on the coast – and plans to build five more this year (The Guardian).

The Wall Street Journal notes that the investigation into Kang is the latest in a high-profile crackdown on government and corporate corruption, ahead of China’s 60th anniversary in October.