Liang Guanglie ( zh , c = 梁光烈 , p = Liáng Guāngliè, also spelled as Liang Kuang-lieh; 9 December 1940 – 12 November 2024) was a Chinese general and who served as the

Minister of National Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...

from 2008 to 2013.

Life and career

Liang joined the army in January 1958 and the

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

in November 1959. His first assignment was with the Second Regiment, First Division of the 1st Ground Force Army (1958–63), where he rose to the ranks of commander of an engineering company, quartermaster of the special agent company and staff officer in the operations and training branch. Liang studied at the Xinyang Infantry School (1963–64) and graduated from

Henan University Henan University (HENU; ) is a provincial public university in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng, Henan, China. It is affiliated with the Province of Henan and co-funded with the Ministry of Education. The university is part of the Double First-Class Const ...

's political theory correspondence education program (1984–86). After finishing his studies, Liang returned to his unit until 1970 when he was promoted to the Operational Department staff of the Wuhan Military Region command headquarters where he remained until 1979. Liang was named Deputy Commander of the 58th Division, 20th Group Army in 1979 and became commander in 1981–83. After a study break at the PLA Military Academy (March 1982 to January 1983), he was named deputy Commander of the 20th Army in 1983 and Commander in 1985. In June 1989, he led the 20th Army to enforce martial law in Beijing to suppress the Tiananmen Square Protests. In 1990 he was transferred to command the 54th Army and from December 1993 to July 1995, he was the chief of staff of

Beijing Military Region The Beijing Military Region was one of seven military regions for the Chinese People's Liberation Army. From the mid-1980s to 2017, it had administration of all military affairs within Beijing city, Tianjin city, Hebei province, Shanxi province, ...

. From July 1995 to December 1997, he was the deputy commander of Beijing Military Region. From December 1997 to December 1999, he was the commander of

Shenyang Military Region The Shenyang Military Region was one of seven military regions for the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It has command and control of military and armed police forces in the three northeast provinces of Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Liaoning, whic ...

, and from December 1999 to November 2002, he was the commander of

Nanjing Military Region The Nanjing Military Region () was one of the former seven military command regions for the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Its jurisdiction covered all military and armed police located in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Shangh ...

and deputy secretary of CCP's committee. Liang was the General Chief of Staff of the

People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four Military branch, services—People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Ground Force, People's ...

from 2002 to 2007. He then served as a State Councilor and the Minister of National Defense. Additionally Liang was a member of

Central Military Commission Central Military Commission may refer to: *Central Military Commission (China), the highest national defense organization in the People's Republic of China. *Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the highest body in Vietnam ...

. He was also an alternate member of the 13th and 14th CCP Central Committees, and a member of the 15th, 16th and 17th Central Committees. Liang retired at the

18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party The 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held November 8–14, 2012 at the Great Hall of the People. Due to term limits and age restrictions, seven of the nine members of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) retir ...

in late 2012 and was replaced by General

Chang Wanquan Chang Wanquan (; born January 1949) is a retired general who was the Minister of National Defense and State Councilor of China from 2013 and 2018. He was also a member of the Central Military Commission and helped to manage China's space prog ...

. Liang died in Beijing on 12 November 2024, at the age of 83 (Chinese media counted as aged 84 according to Chinese custom).

References

Citations

Sources

*
China's General Chen Bingde appointed to key military post
( AFP via the ''

Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' (also known informally by its abbreviation ''ST'') is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust. Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and ...

'')

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Liang, Guanglie 1940 births 2024 deaths Ministers of national defense of the People's Republic of China People from Mianyang People's Liberation Army generals from Sichuan People's Liberation Army Chiefs of General Staff Commanders of the Shenyang Military Region Chiefs of staff of the Beijing Military Region 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre State councillors of China Chinese military personnel of the Sino-Vietnamese War Alternates of the 13th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Alternates of the 14th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 15th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 16th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party