Hu Jintao, chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, on Tuesday raised the rank of three People's Liberation Army (PLA) senior officers to general. It is the army's highest rank in peacetime.

At a ceremony for the promotion held in the PLA's headquarter, August 1 Mansion, Hu, also state president, awarded the rank to Liu Zhenqi, Huang Xianzhong and Fan Changlong.

Liu is the General Political Department vice director, while Huang serves as the Shenyang Military Area Command political commissar. Fan is the Jinan Military Area Command commander.

The PLA's major officers, including Central Military Commission's vice chairmen and commanders of the Navy, Air Force and Second Artillery Corps, attended the award ceremony.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2008)