Two generals in line for Central Military Commission
Two generals promoted to air force chief and top political commissar, a likely step to places on supreme military policymaking body
The People's Liberation Army has begun a new reshuffle of senior officers less than three weeks ahead of the Communist Party's 18th national congress.
A source said two generals had been put in position for likely membership of the Central Military Commission (CMC) - the nation's supreme military policymaking body.
General Ma Xiaotian, formerly deputy chief of general staff, has been named the new air force commander, while General Zhang Yang, the former political commissar of the Guangzhou military area command, is now director of the PLA's General Political Department.8
According to the Beijing-based military source, Ma, 63, had already taken over from General Xu Qiliang, 62, as the top officer overseeing the air force, and Xu was tipped to be a vice-chairman of the CMC.
Meanwhile, Zhang, 61, has replaced General Li Jinai as the officer in charge of the army's political affairs, as Li is due to retire, having turned 70.
CCTV's military channel reported on Sunday that Zhang, in his new capacity as the PLA's top political commissar, accompanied General Xu Caihou, a CMC vice-chairman, to a play in Beijing on Saturday evening.