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Xu Qiliang, former top Chinese general, dies at 75

Published: 03 Jun. 2025, 15:28

China's then-Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang speaks to then-German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen during their meeting at the Ba Yi Building in Beijing on Oct. 22. 2018. [AP/YONHAP]

Xu Qiliang, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party and a key figure in helping President Xi Jinping consolidate control over the military, died in Beijing on Monday. He was 75.

The People’s Daily, the Party’s official newspaper, published a brief obituary at the bottom of its front page on Tuesday, calling Xu “an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China, a loyal communist fighter tested over time, a proletarian military figure and an excellent leader of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).” The notice did not specify a cause of death.

News of Xu’s death first emerged on social media through Zhao Lanjian, a former journalist now living in exile in the United States, who posted about it on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Since accessing foreign social media platforms like X requires a virtual private network in China, the early spread of the news outside government channels suggests unusually high public interest in his passing.

The pro-Beijing Sing Tao Daily in Hong Kong, citing a source in Beijing, reported that Xu collapsed from a heart attack while jogging early in the morning and was taken to a hospital, where he died.

But, given his relatively young age, speculation about the exact cause of death continues to grow.

Xu had not appeared in public since a Spring Festival reception hosted by the State Council at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 27.

Born in Linqu, Shandong, Xu was a former air force pilot who rose to the rank of general in 2007, the same year he became commander of the Air Force.

That year, he also joined the Central Military Commission, the top military policymaking body in China.

Xu was appointed vice chairman of the commission in 2012.

At the 18th Party Congress held that same year, he was elevated to Politburo member and second vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

He became first vice chairman in 2017 at the 19th Party Congress, before stepping down from the commission in 2022 and retiring in 2023.

Xu played a pivotal role during his decade as vice chairman in supporting Xi’s efforts to consolidate control over the military.

Xu Qiliang, left, vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission, salutes China's President Xi Jinping, center, during the closing ceremony of the Chinese National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, March 13, 2014. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

He oversaw sweeping reforms, including dismantling the PLA’s four general departments — General Staff, General Political, General Logistics and General Armament — and replacing them with 15 new offices under the Central Military Commission.

He also helped reorganize China’s seven military regions into five theater commands and oversaw the creation of the Army Command, Rocket Force and Strategic Support Force.

Xu also backed Xi’s crackdown on corruption within the military. Former vice chairmen of the commission, Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, were prosecuted on corruption charges after their retirement.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SHIN KYUNG-JIN [[email protected]]