Top China military chief to retire

Thu, 24 Sep 1998, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

JAKARTA (JP): China's top military chief will be forced into
retirement due to a series of economic-related scandals that have
tarnished the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Jane's Defence
Weekly reported this week.

Beijing-based sources told the magazine that Gen. Zhang
Wannian, the 71-year-old executive vice chairman of China's
policy-setting Central Military Commission (CMC) and a member of
the ruling politburo, is due to step down at a plenary meeting of
the Communist Party's central committee next month.

He will be replaced by Gen. Chi Haotian, currently defence
minister and also a CMC vice chairman.

The magazine said Chinese President Jiang Zemin, concurrently
Communist secretary-general and CMC chairman, asked for Zhang's
resignation following a series of incidents that highlighted the
heavy involvement of the PLA and military affiliated companies in
smuggling and other illegal activities. (bnt)

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