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5d ago

Former PLA Vice Chairman Xu Qiliang dies at 75

China’s Defense Ministry credited Xu Qiliang with steering the People’s Liberation Army toward a modern fighting force aligned with Xi Jinping’s strategies.

China's Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang arrives for a welcome dinner at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, China October 20, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo
Xu Qiliang (L), vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission, salutes China's President Xi Jinping (C) during the closing ceremony of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, March 13, 2014. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon (CHINA - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY)/File Photo
Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends the second plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
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Overview

  • Xu served as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission early in Xi Jinping’s administration, supporting the integration of the army and navy into top military leadership.
  • He joined the PLA in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution and rose through the ranks by emphasizing party discipline and loyalty to Communist Party leadership.
  • Xu championed replacing Cold War-era jets with stealth fighters and expanding China’s nuclear bomber fleet as part of broader military modernization efforts.
  • He met U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis in 2018 to discuss military-to-military contacts aimed at reducing strategic uncertainty.
  • The Defense Ministry hailed him as an "excellent Communist Party of China member" and an "outstanding leader of the People’s Liberation Army."