Top Chinese general Xu Qiliang, a close ally of President Xi Jinping who was the former vice chair of the powerful Central Military Commission, died of illness at age 75 on Monday in Beijing, state media reported.
Xu served two consecutive terms on the Communist Party's highest military command body between 2012 and 2022, as Xi came to power. Before that, he spent decades in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force, rising to Air Force Commander in 2007 after a stint in the PLA General Staff Department.
Xu was described as an "outstanding member of the Communist Party" and an "outstanding leader of the People's Liberation Army" in a short obituary published by state news agency Xinhua.
He was the first Central Military Commission (CMC) vice chair not to have been from the land forces, a sign of Beijing's growing emphasis on different branches of the military as the PLA pursues combat integration and modernisation.
He emerged seemingly unscathed by the anti-corruption campaign targeting the highest ranks of the PLA soon after Xi came into office, which took down his predecessors Xu Caihou and Guo Boxiong, both vice-chairs of the CMC.
China's military has undergone a renewed anti-corruption purge since last year, with over a dozen PLA generals including two former defence ministers and a serving CMC member, Miao Hua, removed or suspended from their posts.
Born into a peasant family in eastern China's Shandong province, Xu joined the PLA in 1966 at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, a decade-long period of turmoil spearheaded by Mao Zedong.
He was a strong advocate of military modernisation, helping transform the air force from a reliance on outdated equipment to domestically developed stealth fighters and amphibian assault ships.
Xu was commander of an air force unit in Fuzhou, Fujian province, while Xi was the city's Communist Party chief in the early 1990s. It is during this period that the men were reported to have become close.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to issue a new executive order aimed at addressing labor shortages in the agriculture and tourism sectors, which have been affected by his administration’s stricter immigration policies.
Liam Payne's final onscreen appearance will air next month as part of a Netflix series, following the approval of his family who reviewed the content and supported his involvement in the music competition.
Within the framework of the international event on energy efficiency held in Brussels, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, met with the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol.
US producer prices rose 2.6% annually in May, matching market expectations, with a modest 0.1% increase from April, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran are nearing a critical point as President Trump warns that an Israeli strike on Iran "could very well happen," while still expressing hopes for a peaceful resolution over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 8th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay is in critical condition after being shot three times — including twice in the head — during a campaign event in Bogotá.
A 30-year-old woman was shot by police in Munich on Saturday evening after stabbing two people at Theresienwiese, a central park best known for hosting Oktoberfest.
Kazakhstan and the UK are strengthening defense ties with a new Military Cooperation Plan, focusing on peacekeeping and military education.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned U.S. immigration raids and National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, calling for reforms instead of enforcement.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has openly expressed her opposition to labeling migrant workers as criminals during a high-level meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
Tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran are nearing a critical point as President Trump warns that an Israeli strike on Iran "could very well happen," while still expressing hopes for a peaceful resolution over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Türkiye and Azerbaijan are deepening defense ties with two major joint military drills in Nakhchivan this June, aiming to strengthen strategic cooperation and regional readiness.
European foreign ministers agreed to increase pressure on Russia by imposing new sanctions targeting its energy and banking sectors amid ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
As G7 leaders prepare to meet, most member states are ready to cut the Russian oil price cap to $45 even without U.S. backing.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to issue a new executive order aimed at addressing labor shortages in the agriculture and tourism sectors, which have been affected by his administration’s stricter immigration policies.
Liam Payne's final onscreen appearance will air next month as part of a Netflix series, following the approval of his family who reviewed the content and supported his involvement in the music competition.
Within the framework of the international event on energy efficiency held in Brussels, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, met with the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol.
US producer prices rose 2.6% annually in May, matching market expectations, with a modest 0.1% increase from April, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran are nearing a critical point as President Trump warns that an Israeli strike on Iran "could very well happen," while still expressing hopes for a peaceful resolution over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
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