Four generals promoted in key military command area of Jinan
PLA announces reshuffle in Jinan, a command area regarded as a stepping stone for rising stars since the party's 18th national congress
The People's Liberation Army's Jinan Military Command has seen a new round of reshuffling, with the appointments of four generals to top-brass positions in the military region responsible for Shandong and Henan provinces.
Major-General Chen Zhaohai, formerly the head of military training for the PLA's Headquarters of General Staff, was named the deputy commander for the Jinan command, succeeding retiring Lieutenant-General Feng Shaoju , according to Century Weekly magazine's online news portal.
The Jinan Military Command has been seen as a stepping stone for rising stars since the Communist Party's 18th national congress in November, when its former commander General Fan Changlong was promoted to vice-chairman of the PLA's top decision-making body, the Central Military Commission.
Chen's ascension followed the appointments of Major General Wang Xixin and Major General Liu Zhigang to deputy commander positions in the Shenyang and Beijing military commands, respectively, over the last few weeks.
Aside from Chen, Lieutenant General Zhang Lieying, former director of the political department of the Jinan Military Command, was made deputy political commissar for the region.
Zhang, 61, is generally viewed as a protégé of General Xu Caihou, the former vice-chairman of the party's Central Military Commission.