Xu Qiling
{{short description|General officer of the People's Liberation Army}}
{{Family name hatnote|Xu|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = File:Xu QilingCropped.png
| caption = Xu at a 2019 Military Exchange
| office2 = Commander of the Western Theater Command
| term_start2 = June 2021
| term_end2 = August 2021
| predecessor2 = Zhang Xudong
| successor2 = Wang Haijiang
| office3 = Commander of the Western Theater Command Ground Force
| term_start3 = April 2020
| term_end3 = June 2021
| predecessor3 = He Weidong
| successor3 = TBA
| office4 = Commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force
| term_start4 = December 2018
| term_end4 = April 2020
| predecessor4 = Qin Weijiang
| successor4 = Lin Xiangyang
| office5 = Commander of the 79th Group Army
| term_start5 = March 2017
| term_end5 = December 2018
| predecessor5 =
| successor5 = Huo Jiangang
| name = Xu Qiling
| native_name = {{nobold|徐起零}}
| native_name_lang = zh
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1962|07}}
| birth_place = Huaiyang District, Zhoukou, Henan, China
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Chinese Communist Party
| spouse =
| children =
| parents =
| relations =
| religion =
| alma_mater =
| website =
| nickname =
| allegiance = {{flag|People's Republic of China}}
| branch = {{army|China}}
| serviceyears =
| unit =
| commands =
| battles =
| mawards =
}}
Xu Qiling ({{zh|c=徐起零|p=Xú Qǐlíng}}; born July 1962) is a general (Shangjiang) of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). He was the commander of the Western Theater Command. He formerly served as commander of the Western Theater Command Ground Force, commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force, and commander of the 79th Group Army.
Biography
Born in Huaiyang District, Zhoukou, Henan in July 1962, Xu served in Jinan Military Region before serving as the chief of staff for the 54th Group Army. He served as deputy commander of the Central Theater Command in 2016 and held that office until March 2017, when he was appointed commander of the 79th Group Army.{{cite news|author1=Wang Jun ({{lang|zh|王俊}})|url=https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1505043 |script-title=zh:陆军第54集团军原参谋长徐起零少将任中部战区陆军副司令员 |work=thepaper |date=27 July 2016 |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=zh}}{{cite news|url=http://china.caixin.com/2017-08-02/101114293.html |script-title=zh:多个集团军主官亮相 张孟滨任82军政委 |work=caixin.com |date=2 August 2017 |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=zh}} He rose in rank to become commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force in December 2018, replacing Qin Weijiang.{{cite news|author1=Yan Hongliang ({{lang|zh|闫宏亮}})|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2019-01-03/doc-ihqfskcn3708593.shtml |script-title=zh:接棒秦卫江 徐起零出任东部战区陆军司令 |work=sina |date=3 January 2019 |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=zh}} In April 2020, Xu was transferred to the Western Theater Command and appointed commander of its ground force.
Xu was awarded the rank of lieutenant general by the Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping on 11 December 2019 and later to the rank of general on 5 July 2021.{{cite news|author1=Song Guoqing ({{lang|zh|宋国庆}})|author2=Li Xiaojing ({{lang|zh|李晓婧}})|url=http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2019/12/11/660365.html |script-title=zh:刘发庆、黄铭等6名陆军军官晋升中将军衔 |work=Beijing News |date=11 December 2019 |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=zh}}{{cite news|author1=Jia Nan ({{lang|zh|贾楠}})|url=https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2021-07-05/doc-ikqcfnca5103262.shtml |script-title=zh:4人晋升上将！ |work=Sina |date=5 July 2021 |access-date=6 July 2021 |language=zh}}
In June 2021, Xu was chosen to replace Zhang Xudong as commander of the Western Theater Command after Zhang left the post suffering from cancer and gastrointestinal problems. Zhang died four months later in October. After only two months serving as commander, Xu also stepped down reportedly also out of poor health and amid a number of illnesses among both commanders and troops.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-06 |title=Former head of China's Western Theatre Command dies aged 58 |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151398/chinese-general-zhang-xudong-who-stepped-down-head-western |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before= }}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the 79th Group Army|years=2017–2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Huo Jiangang ({{lang|zh|霍建刚}})}}
{{s-bef|before=Qin Weijiang}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force|years=2018–2020}}
{{s-aft|after=Lin Xiangyang}}
{{s-bef|before=He Weidong}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the Western Theater Command Ground Force|years=2020–2020}}
{{s-aft|after=TBA}}
{{s-bef|before=Zhang Xudong}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the Western Theater Command|years=2021–present}}
{{s-aft|after=Wang Haijiang}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Xu, Qiling}}
Category:People's Liberation Army generals from Henan
Category:Delegates to the 13th National People's Congress
Category:Delegates to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
Category:Members of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party