In a solemn ceremony on Sunday, the remains of Xu Qiliang were cremated at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing on the Chinese mainland.
General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping, Chinese premier Li Qiang, and other senior Party and state leaders – Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi – walked slowly under solemn music, bowed three times, and offered condolences to Xu's family.
Xu, who died on June 2 at age 75, served as a member of the Political Bureau of the 18th and 19th CPC Central Committees from 2012 to 2022 and as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. He was praised as a loyal communist soldier, a seasoned military strategist, and an outstanding leader of the People's Liberation Army.
Observers note that Xu's decade of leadership in the Central Military Commission helped shape key reforms and drive modernization efforts that continue to influence regional and global security dynamics.
Since the 1950s, the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery has been the resting place for many of the Chinese mainland's revolutionary and military figures. Xu Qiliang's farewell highlights the enduring rituals that honor service and legacy within the CPC and the armed forces.
For globally minded readers, Xu Qiliang's legacy offers insight into how traditions and leadership shape the future of China's military role on the world stage.
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Remains of China's former senior military official Xu Qiliang cremated
cgtn.com
