Zhang Wannian
| Zhang Wannian | |
|---|---|
 Zhang Wannian | |
| Native name | 張萬年 |
| Born |
August 1928 Longkou, Shandong, China |
| Died |
14 January 2015 (aged 86) Beijing, China |
| Years of service | 1944–2003 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Chief, People's Liberation Army (PLA), Headquarters of the General Staff; Deputy Secretary, PLA, Jinan Military Region, Communist Party of China (CPC), Party Committee;Commander, PLA, Jinan Military Region; Deputy Secretary, PLA, Guangzhou Military Region; Commander, PLA, Guangzhou Military Region; Deputy Commander, PLA, Guangzhou Military Region; 43rd Army Commander, PLA; Deputy 43rd Army Commander, PLA; 127th Division Commander, PLA; Deputy Director, PLA, Guangzhou Military Region, Combat Department; 367th Regimental Commander, PLA |
| Battles/wars | Sino-Vietnamese border war, Korean War, Chinese Revolution (1949) |
| Awards | Order of Liberation (Class 3), Great Honors citation five times |
| Other work | Member, 9th National People's Congress; Vice-Chairman, 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Central Military Commission; Director, PLA, Election Committee; Secretary, 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Politburo, Secretariat; Vice-Chairman, 14th and 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Central Military Commission |
Zhang Wannian (simplified Chinese: 张万年; traditional Chinese: 張萬年; pinyin: Zhāng Wànnián; August 1928 – 14 January 2015) was a general of the People's Republic of China.[1]
Biography
General Zhang Wannian was born in Huangxian county (now Longkou City), Shandong Province of China in August 1928.[1]
He joined the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Eighth Route Army in August 1944 and joined Chinese Communist Party in August 1945. Over decades, he has been promoted from a soldier to a general.[1]
From 1958 to 1961, he studied in the preparatory and basic department at the Nanjing Military Academy of PLA.[1] From 1962-1966, he was the head of the 367th regiment, affiliated to the 123rd division of 41st Army. From 1966-1968, he was the vice director in the battle department in the headquarters of Guangzhou Military Region. From 1968-1978, he was the head of 127 division of 43rd Army. From 1978-1981, he was the vice head of 43rd Army and head of 127th Division. He was studying at PLA Military Academy from 1978-79. He led the 127th Division of the 43rd Corps during the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese border war. From 1981-82, he was the head of 43rd Corps. From 1982-85, he was the vice commander in Wuhan Military Region.[2]
From 1985-87, he was the vice commander of Guangzhou Military Region, and became the commander and vice secretary of CPC's committee there in 1987 till 1990. From 1990-92, he was the commander of Jinan Military Region, and vice secretary of CPC committee there.[1]
In 1992, he became a member of CPC's central military commission and the director as well as the secretary of the party of the General Staff Department of PLA. In September 1995, he was elevated to vice-Chairman of the CMC (Central Military Commission), along with Chi Haotian. As expected, both were elected as the executive vice Chairmen of the CMC at the Fifteenth Party Congress in 1997. He was soon promoted to the Politburo as well as the Chinese Communist Party Secretariat. He attended the changeover ceremonies in Hong Kong in 1997 as the sole senior military representative (Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission), indicating his preeminent position in the military.[1]
He was a deputy to CPC's 9th National Congress, and an alternative member of 12th and 13th CPC's central committee. He became an alternate member of the 12th and 13th and a member of the 14th and 15th CPC's Central Committees, and a Politburo member and Secretary of the Secretariat in 15th central committee.[1]
He was awarded Third-Class Liberation Medal, and has achieved Great Honors five times.[1] When he visited Pakistan in September 1993, he was awarded a military medal by the President. [2]
He was promoted to lieutenant general in September 1988, and to general in June 1993.[1] He retired in 2003.[2]
His wife is Zhong Peizhao (钟佩昭).[2]
References
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Chi Haotian |
Head of PLA General Staff Department 1992–1995 |
Succeeded by Fu Quanyou |
|