Fan Changlong - CMC vice-chairman

Fan Changlong is endorsed as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China at the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, March 15, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - The following is the biographical sketch of Fan Changlong:

Fan Changlong, born in May 1947, is a male ethnic Han from Dandong, Liaoning Province. He entered the workforce in October 1968 and joined the PLA in January 1969 and the CPC in September of the same year. He received a university education at the Central Party School.

He is currently a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China and holds the rank of a general.

1968-1969 Educated youth, Gushan Commune, Donggou County, Liaoning Province

1969-1971 Soldier and squad leader, 3rd Company, 122nd Artillery Battalion, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force

1971-1972 Platoon leader in charge, 3rd Company, 122nd Artillery Battalion, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force

1972-1973 Administrative secretary on probation, Publicity Division, Political Department, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force

1973-1973 Administrative secretary, Organization Division, Political Department, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force

1973-1976 Political commissar, 1st Company, 152nd Artillery Battalion, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force (02/1975-12/1975: studied at the Xuanhua Artillery Academy)

1976-1976 Deputy commander, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force

1976-1979 Deputy commander of Artillery Regiment and concurrently acting commander of its 1st Battalion, 16th Army, Ground Force

1979-1982 Deputy commander and concurrently chief of staff, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force (1980-1982: received a junior college education at the PLA Military Academy)

1982-1985 Commander, Artillery Regiment, 16th Army, Ground Force

1985-1990 Chief of staff, 48th Division, 16th Group Army, Ground Force

1990-1993 Commander, 46th Division, 16th Group Army, Ground Force

1993-1995 Chief of staff, 16th Group Army, Ground Force (1992-1994: studied economic management at Correspondence Class for Leading Cadres, Central Party School)

1995-2000 Commander, 16th Group Army, Ground Force

2000-2003 Chief of staff, Shenyang Military Area Command

2003-2004 Assistant to the PLA chief of the general staff

2004-2012 Commander, Jinan Military Area Command

2012-2013 Member, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; vice-chairman, CPC Central Military Commission

2013- Member, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; vice-chairman, CPC Central Military Commission; vice-chairman, PRC Central Military Commission

Alternate member, Sixteenth CPC Central Committee; member, Seventeenth and Eighteenth CPC Central Committees; member, Political Bureau, Eighteenth CPC Central Committee; appointed as vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission at the Seventh Plenary Session of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee and at the First Plenary Session of the Eighteenth CPC Central Committee; appointed as vice-chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission at the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the Twelfth NPC.