New | Son of China’s ex-defence minister Qin Jiwei appointed chief of staff of military’s armed police

Major General Qin Tian, son of former defence minister and revolutionary veteran Qin Jiwei, has been appointed chief of staff of the People’s Armed Police, ThePaper.cn reported, citing unnamed sources.

The appointment came months after Qin, 57, was named vice-president of the People’s Liberation Army’s Academy of Military Sciences in August.

Before that, he was director of the National Defence University’s research department.

In an article he penned for the Communist Party’s flagship magazine Qiushi Journal in May, Qin criticised Xu Caihou, disgraced former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, for monopolising power in the military. Xu died of bladder cancer in March a year after being put under investigation for corruption.

In his article, Qin praised President Xi Jinping’s determination to cleanse the army and “bring order out of chaos”.

Qin’s father was a close ally of former paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. The elder Qin played an important role in the implementation of Deng’s plan to turn the faction-ridden, ill-equipped and demoralised military that emerged from the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution into a lean, modernised and professional force.