China Vitae : Biography of Xu Caihou

Compiled from the following sources:

Special biographic research
Wen Wei Publishing Company, Ltd. 2002-2006

Who's Who, Current Chinese Leaders
Wen Wei Publishing Company, Ltd. 2003-2005

Revision History:

Biography Revised: 10/24/2007
Career Data Updated: 10/24/2007

Xu Caihou 徐才厚

Member of the 17th CPC Central Committee, Vice-Chairman of the 17th CPC Central Military Commission; Politburo Member of the 17th CPC Central Committee

Born: 1943

Birthplace: Liaoning Province, Wafangdian City

Biography

Xu Caihou, male, Han nationality, is a native of Wafangdian, Liaoning Province. He was born in 1943, joined the army in 1963, joined the CPC in 1971, and graduated from the Electronics Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering.

Xu spent his early career serving in the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command, with several assignments in Shenyang. In 1984 he became attached to the 16th Group Army. In the early 1990s he moved to Beijing, where he joined the military press and was subsequently appointed to senior positions in the PLA. In 2000 he was appointed to the CPC Central Military Commission.

He was a member of the Secretariat of the 16th CPC Central Committee, vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, Director-General of the General Political Department of the PLA, secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee of the Central Military Commission and deputy Party secretary of the PLA General Political Department.

He is currently a member of the 17th CPC Central Committee, Vice-Chairman of the 17th CPC Central Military Commission and Politburo Member of the 17th CPC Central Committee.

Career Data

2007—	Member, 17th CPC, Central Committee, Politburo
2007—	Member, 17th CPC, Central Committee
2007—	Vice-Chairman, 17th CPC, Central Committee, Central Military Commission
2004—2007	Vice-Chairman, 16th CPC, Central Committee, Central Military Commission
2003—2005	Director-General, PLA, General Political Department
2002—2004	Member, 16th CPC, Central Committee, Central Military Commission
2002—2007	Member, 16th CPC, Central Committee
2000—	Secretary, CPC, Central Committee, Central Military Commission, Commission for Discipline Inspection
2000—2002	Deputy Secretary, PLA, General Political Department CPC, Party Committee
1999—2003	Executive Deputy Director, PLA, General Political Department
1999—2002	Member, 15th CPC, Central Committee, Central Military Commission
1997—2002	Member, 15th CPC, Central Committee
1996—1999	Political Commissar, PLA, Regions, Jinan Military Region
1993—1996	Deputy Director, PLA, General Political Department
1993—1993	Director, Liberation Army Daily
1992—1993	Assistant to the Director, PLA, General Political Department
1990—1992	Political Commissar, PLA, Services and Arms, Group Army
1985—1990	Director, PLA, Services and Arms, Group Army, Political Department
1984—1985	Director, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region (Political Department)
1983—1984	Deputy Director, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Jilin Military District (Political Department)
1982—1983	Chief, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Jilin Military District (Office for Retirees)
1982—1983	Chief, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Jilin Military District (Political Department, Personnel Division)
1980—1981	Trainee, PLA Institute of Political Sciences
1972—1982	Deputy Chief, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Jilin Military District (Political Department)
1972—1982	Secretary, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Jilin Military District (Political Department)
1971—1972	Deputy Political Instructor, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang Garrison (Third Division, Third Artillery Regiment, First Battalion, 2nd Company)
1970—1971	Soldier, PLA, Regions, Shenyang Military Region, Jilin Military District (Third Regiment, Second Battalion)
1968—1970	Cultural Revolution, Sent to do manual labor (Farm of the 39th Army)
1963—1968	Student, Harbin Institute of Military Engineering, Electronics Engineering Department Heilongjiang Province, Harbin City

Recent Travel & Appearances

16 Jan 12	APPEARANCE	Xu Caihou visits officers and men stationed in Beijing
12 Jan 12	APPEARANCE	President Hu extends festival greetings to army veterans
27 Dec 11	APPEARANCE	PLA senior officers offer condolences on Kim Jong Il's death
20 Dec 11	APPEARANCE	Xu Caihou has discussion with newly-elected academicians
15 Dec 11	APPEARANCE	China to improve militia management
09 Dec 11	APPEARANCE	China, Bulgaria pledge to strengthen military ties
05 Dec 11	TRAVEL	Was in Beijing Municipality and met with the following: • Armando Pacheco Gutierrez (Commander of the Armed Forces of the Plurinational State of Bolivia) China, Bolivia pledge to strengthen military ties
29 Nov 11	TRAVEL	Was in Beijing Municipality and met with the following: • Min Aung Hlaing (Myanmar's Commander of the Armed Forces) PLA senior officer meets Myanmar's commander of armed forces
22 Nov 11	TRAVEL	Travelled to Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City Xu Caihou watches "Life & Sunshine" acrobatic show
17 Nov 11	APPEARANCE	China's central authorities congratulate success of first space docking mission

The most recent (of 79) travel & appearance entries are listed here.