China's military has undergone a sweeping leadership reshuffle in the wake of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), bringing in younger faces.
Four newly elected members of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee became heads of the PLA's four departments, the Liberation Army Daily reports.
General Liang Guanglie, 61, former commander of the Nanjing Military Area Command, replaced Fu Quanyou, 72, as chief of the military's general staff.
General Xu Caihou, 59, former deputy director of the PLA's political department was promoted to head the department, taking the place of Yu Yongbo, 71.
General Liao Xilong, 62, was appointed head of the logistics department from his position of chief of the Chengdu Military Area Command, replacing 71-year-old Wang Ke.
General Li Jinai, 59, former commissar of the armaments department, took over the department from Cao Gangchuan, 66.
General Cao Gangchuan and General Guo Boxiong, 59, a former executive deputy chief of the general staff, were both elected vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission at the Party Congress, replacing Zhang Wannian, 74, and Chi Haotian, 73. Cao and Guo are also elected to the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee.
The Central Military Commission, which President Jiang Zemin leads, is China's top military body, directing the 2.5 million strong armed forces. Party general secretary Hu Jintao is another vice-chairman of the commission.
Also in the reshuffle, General Ge Zhenfeng, former head of the Military Science Academy, was promoted to be the deputy to Liang Guanglie. And, General Zhang Wentai, former commissar of Jinan Military Area Command, will now be the commissar of PLA's the logistics department.
(People's Daily November 22, 2002)
