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Xu Qiliang

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In this Chinese name, the family name is Xu.

Air Force General
Xu Qiliang
许其亮
Xu in 2015
Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission
In office
Party Commission:
4 November 2012 – 23 October 2022
State Commission:
16 March 2013 – 11 March 2023
Serving with Fan Changlong and Zhang Youxia
ChairmanXi Jinping
10th Commander of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
In office
September 2007 – October 2012
DeputyHe Weirong
Preceded byQiao Qingchen
Succeeded byMa Xiaotian
Personal details
Born(1950-03-29)29 March 1950
Linqu County, Shandong, China
Died2 June 2025(2025-06-02) (aged 75)
Beijing, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party (1967–2025)
Alma materPLA National Defense University
Committees
Military service
Allegiance China
Branch People's Air Force
Service years1966–2023
Rank Air Force General
Commands

Xu Qiliang (Chinese: 许其亮; pinyin: Xǔ Qíliàng; 29 March 1950 – 2 June 2025) was a Chinese air force general in the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). He served as a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2012 to 2022, and served as a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China from 2013 to 2023. He served as a member of the 18th and the 19th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party. He was promoted to Commander of the PLAAF from 2007 to 2012.

Biography

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Born on 29 March 1950[1] in Linqu County, Shandong, to a peasant's family, Xu entered the PLA and its Air Force No. 1 aeronautic preparatory school in 1966, learned piloting, and joined the Chinese Communist Party the following year. Later he transferred to the Air Force No. 8 and No. 5 aeronautic schools. He became a pilot after graduation in August 1969.[2]

Xu was promoted to head of the military division in 1983, and vice army corps commander the next year. In 1985, he became chief of staff at the Air Force Shanghai headquarters, and also entered the PLA National Defense University for training. He was promoted to corps commander of the PLA Air Force in 1991 and was made a major general. In 1993, he became vice chief of staff of the Air Force and studied at the National Defense University again. After graduation, he was promoted to chief of staff of the PLA Air Force. He was made a lieutenant general in 1996.[3]

In 1999, Xu became the vice commander and Air Force commander of the Shenyang Military Region, and studied at the National Defense University for the 3rd time in 2001. He was elevated to vice chief of staff of the PLA General Staff Department. He was made a full general on 20 June 2007. Xu also became the commander of the PLA Air Force in 2007.[4] In 2012, he became China's first career air force officer promoted to Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission[4] and was succeeded as Air Force Commander by General Ma Xiaotian.[5]

He was also a member of the 19th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party. He was an alternate member of the 14th and 15th Central Committees of the Chinese Communist Party, and a full member of the 16th, 17th, and 18th Central Committees.[3]

From the 2010s through the 2020s, Xu emphasized developing China's air power and air force digitization.[4] During his ten-year tenure as vice chairman, he played a crucial role in advancing General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping's efforts to strengthen control over the military. He spearheaded major reforms, including the dissolution of the People's Liberation Army's four general departments and replacing them with 15 new offices directly under the Central Military Commission. Additionally, Xu facilitated the restructuring of China's seven military regions into five theater commands and oversaw the establishment of key military branches, including the Army Command, Rocket Force and Strategic Support Force.[6]

In July 2018, Xu met in Beijing with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, to discuss regional issues and where the two men each laid out his country's military concerns before the other.[7]

Xu died of illness on 2 June 2025 at the age of 75, in Beijing. A statement of condolences issued by the Ministry of National Defense referred him as an "excellent Communist Party of China member, a time-tested and loyal communist soldier, a proletarian military strategist, and an outstanding leader of the People's Liberation Army."[8][9] He was cremated during a memorial service at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery on June 8, which was attended by top party and state leaders, including Xi Jinping.[10]

Awards and decorations

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Military ribbons within the People's Republic of China only reflect the wearer's echelon and time in service. Consequently, Xu's ribbon rack, being seven rows high, indicates he was at the Central Military Commission (CMC) level, the gold ribbon with a single star indicates he was a member of the CMC, and the rest of his ribbons indicate his time in service through a combination of one, two, three, and four-year service ribbons totaling forty-six years.[11]

Foreign decorations

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References

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  1. ^ China Monthly Data. 2002. p. 23.
  2. ^ Beijing Review Volume 55. 2012. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b "许其亮同志简历" [Comrade Xu Qiliang's resume]. Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Li, Xiaobing (2024). "Beijing's Military Power and East Asian-Pacific Hot Spots". In Fang, Qiang; Li, Xiaobing (eds.). China under Xi Jinping: A New Assessment. Leiden University Press. p. 258. ISBN 9789087284411.
  5. ^ "China Appoints New Air Force Commander". Voice of America. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  6. ^ Shin, Kyung-jin (3 June 2025). "Xu Qiliang, former top Chinese general, dies at 75". Korea Joongang Daily. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  7. ^ Gertz, Bill (2 July 2018). "Chinese general, close ally of president, faces off with Mattis on Beijing visit". The Washington Times. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Xu Qiliang, former top Chinese general close to Xi, dies in Beijing". Associated Press. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Top Chinese military commander Xu Qiliang dies". South China Morning Post. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Remains of China's former senior military official Xu Qiliang cremated". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  11. ^ "一文教你看懂解放军军衔、资历章，赶紧收藏" [One article teaches you to understand the rank and qualifications of the People's Liberation Army, hurry up and collect]. China Youth Online (in Chinese). 3 March 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Belarus' Order of Friendship for member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee Xu Qiliang". President of the Republic of Belarus. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Zardari awards Nishan-e-Imtiaz to Chinese commander". Dawn. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Заместитель председателя ЦВС КНР Сюй Цилян провел переговоры с министром обороны Саудовской Аравии" [Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China Xu Qiliang holds talks with the Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia]. Xinhua (in Russian). 31 March 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
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Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
2007–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Shenyang Military Region Air Force
1999–2004 		Succeeded by
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