Xi Jinping youngest head of Central Military Commission in three decades

At 59 years old, new party leader Xi Jinping is the youngest head of the party's decision-making body for the armed forces in more than three decades. And he is the first leader to seize pivotal positions with both the party and military during a leadership transition in 23 years.

His role atop the party's Central Military Commission (CMC) also reflects the youthfulness of the current CMC members when compared with the party's newly elected seven-member Politburo Standing Committee.

The average age of CMC members is now 62, a year younger than the Communist Party's top decision-making body. But compared with the career servicemen seen on the People's Liberation Army's top body a decade ago, the average age of the new commission is a few months older.

Mao Zedong and Hua Guofeng were the two youngest chairmen in CMC history. They both ruled the PLA top brass when they were 56, in 1949 and 1977, respectively. Mao held the post for 27 years, while Hua lasted four years.

The CMC's two new vice-chairmen are General Fan Changlong , 65, ex-commander of the Jinan Military Area Command, and former air force commander General Xu Qiliang . Xu, 62, is the first air force general to be promoted to one of the CMC vice-chairmen.

Other members include General Chang Wanquan , former director of the army's General Armament Department, as well as the seven chief commanders of the PLA's navy, air force, strategic missile corps and four headquarters.