Xu Qiliang’s death came as the communist regime’s military saw a series of high-profile purges.
Xu Qiliang, a former Chinese air force general who once commanded China’s army, has died in Beijing at age 75, according to Chinese state media.
Xu was the deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission between 2012 and 2022, overseeing the Chinese military force known as the People’s Liberation Army.
Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping in 2012 had just become the top Party leader. Over the next few years, Xi initiated political and military reshuffling and purged officials in an anti-corruption campaign. Xu was the vice leader for the group charged with reforming the military, which Xi created in 2014 and led.
A statement released through Chinese state news agency Xinhua extolled Xu as a “time-tested and loyal communist soldier” and “outstanding leader” of the Chinese army.
His death came amid a period of deep instability in the communist regime’s military. China has seen a series of military purges in recent years, with Xi initially using them to target top officials perceived as a threat to his power.
The recent campaigns have increasingly targeted his longtime allies, a sign that some analysts said raises questions about the stability of Xi’s political control.
Xu’s death came shortly after the takedown of another Xi ally, Miao Hua, who for years led the Political Work Department, a key role in shaping the careers of senior military officers. Information about Miao, who was placed under investigation in November 2024, has been removed from the Central Military Commission’s website, where he had been listed as a member.
He Weidong, the second-ranked vice chairman of the commission, has disappeared from the public eye since mid-March. Several commentators with political sources in China told The Epoch Times he was taken for questioning.
In another sign of the erosion of Xi’s power, Chinese state media have recently featured political slogans from Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao, while mentions of Xi’s leadership have noticeably become less frequent.
By Eva Fu
