Xu Qiling

In this Chinese name, the family name is Xu.

Xu Qiling
徐起零
Xu at a 2019 Military Exchange
Vice chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department
Incumbent
Assumed office August 2021
Commander of the Western Theater Command
In office June 2021 – August 2021
Preceded by	Zhang Xudong
Succeeded by	Wang Haijiang
Commander of the Western Theater Command Ground Force
In office April 2020 – June 2021
Preceded by	He Weidong
Succeeded by	TBA
Commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force
In office December 2018 – April 2020
Preceded by	Qin Weijiang
Succeeded by	Lin Xiangyang
Commander of the 79th Group Army
In office March 2017 – December 2018
Preceded by	New title
Succeeded by	Huo Jiangang
Personal details
Born	July 1962 (age 62) Huaiyang District, Zhoukou, Henan, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party
Military service
Allegiance	People's Republic of China
Branch/service	People's Liberation Army Ground Force
Rank	General

Xu Qiling (Chinese: 徐起零; pinyin: Xú Qǐlíng; born July 1962) is a general (Shangjiang) of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). He was the commander of the Western Theater Command. He formerly served as commander of the Western Theater Command Ground Force, commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force, and commander of the 79th Group Army.

Biography

Born in Huaiyang District, Zhoukou, Henan in July 1962, Xu served in Jinan Military Region before serving as the chief of staff for the 54th Group Army. He served as deputy commander of the Central Theater Command in 2016 and held that office until March 2017, when he was appointed commander of the 79th Group Army.^[1][2] He rose in rank to become commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force in December 2018, replacing Qin Weijiang.^[3] In April 2020, Xu was transferred to the Western Theater Command and appointed commander of its ground force.

Xu was awarded the rank of lieutenant general by the Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping on 11 December 2019 and later to the rank of general on 5 July 2021.^[4][5]

In June 2021, Xu was chosen to replace Zhang Xudong as commander of the Western Theater Command after Zhang left the post suffering from cancer and gastrointestinal problems. Zhang died four months later in October. After only two months serving as commander, Xu also stepped down reportedly also out of poor health and amid a number of illnesses among both commanders and troops. Xu was transferred to the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC) to serve as vice chief.^[6]

Xu was a delegate to the 13th National People's Congress.

References

1. Wang Jun (王俊) (27 July 2016). 陆军第54集团军原参谋长徐起零少将任中部战区陆军副司令员. thepaper (in Chinese). Retrieved 11 December 2019.
2. 多个集团军主官亮相 张孟滨任82军政委. caixin.com (in Chinese). 2 August 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
3. Yan Hongliang (闫宏亮) (3 January 2019). 接棒秦卫江 徐起零出任东部战区陆军司令. sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 11 December 2019.
4. Song Guoqing (宋国庆); Li Xiaojing (李晓婧) (11 December 2019). 刘发庆、黄铭等6名陆军军官晋升中将军衔. Beijing News (in Chinese). Retrieved 11 December 2019.
5. Jia Nan (贾楠) (5 July 2021). 4人晋升上将！. Sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 6 July 2021.
6. "Former head of China's Western Theatre Command dies aged 58". South China Morning Post. 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2022-07-23.

Military offices
Preceded by Position established	Commander of the 79th Group Army 2017–2018	Succeeded by Huo Jiangang (霍建刚)
Preceded by Qin Weijiang	Commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force 2018–2020	Succeeded by Lin Xiangyang
Preceded by He Weidong	Commander of the Western Theater Command Ground Force 2020–2020	Succeeded by TBA
Preceded by Zhang Xudong	Commander of the Western Theater Command 2021–present	Succeeded by Wang Haijiang