Xu Xueqiang (Chinese: 许学强; born November 1962) is a general (shangjiang) of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), serving as head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission since October 2022. He was the president of PLA National Defence University from 2021 to 2022 and previously served as commander of Northern Theater Command Air Force and before that, chief of staff of Nanjing Military Region Air Force.
Xu Xueqiang
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许学强
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Xu at the see-off ceremony for Chinese astronauts of Shenzhou 17 mission
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| Head of the Equipment Development Department | |||||||
| Assumed office October 2022 | |||||||
| Preceded by | Li Shangfu | ||||||
| President of PLA National Defence University | |||||||
| In office August 2021 – October 2022 | |||||||
| Preceded by | Zheng He | ||||||
| Succeeded by | Xiao Tianliang | ||||||
| Commander of Northern Theater Command Air Force | |||||||
| In office November 2017 – August 2021 | |||||||
| Preceded by | Ding Laihang | ||||||
| Succeeded by | Liu Wenqi | ||||||
| Chief of Staff of Eastern Theater Command Air Force | |||||||
| In office 2016 – August 2017 | |||||||
| Chief of Staff of Nanjing Military Region Air Force | |||||||
| In office December 2013 – 2016 | |||||||
| Preceded by | Huang Guoxian | ||||||
| Succeeded by | Position revoked | ||||||
| Personal details | |||||||
| Born | November 1962 (age 61) Yiyang, Hunan, China | ||||||
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party | ||||||
| Military service | |||||||
| Allegiance |  People's Republic of China | ||||||
| Branch/service |  People's Liberation Army Air Force | ||||||
| Years of service | ?–present | ||||||
| Rank |  General | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 许学强 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 許學強 | ||||||
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Xu was born in Yiyang, Hunan province in November 1962. He served in PLA Air Force Shanghai Base [zh] before being appointed as chief of staff of Nanjing Military Region Air Force in December 2013. In 2016, he was appointed chief of staff of the newly founded Eastern Theater Command Air Force, a position he held until August 2017, when he was transferred to Northern Theater Command Air Force and appointed commander. In August 2021, he was appointed president of PLA National Defence University, succeeding Zheng He.[1][2]
He was promoted to the rank of major general (shaojiang) in 2013, lieutenant general (zhongjiang) in June 2019 and general (shangjiang) in September 2021.[3][4]
| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Chief of Staff of Nanjing Military Region Air Force 2013–2016 |
Succeeded by Position revoked |
| New title | Chief of Staff of Eastern Theater Command Air Force 2016–2017 |
Succeeded by Unpublished |
| Preceded by | Commander of Northern Theater Command Air Force 2017–2021 |
Succeeded by Liu Wenqi |
| Preceded by | President of PLA National Defence University 2021–2022 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the China Manned Space Program 2022–present |
Incumbent |
| Head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission 2022–present | ||