Breaking | The rising star in China’s military tipped as future air force leader

A rising star in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force has reported for duty as deputy commander of the South Theatre Command, making him the youngest PLA officer of his rank and paving the way for further promotions.

“The [newly formed] South Theatre Command is now just like a little boy who is not yet strong enough for fighting for the time being,” Major General Chang Dingqiu told the PLA Daily newspaper on Tuesday.

“Given that we have patience and, more importantly, confidence, [the boy] will become sturdy and capable…because he has combative genes,” Chang said.

At 49, Chang is the youngest deputy commander in the five newly established theatre commands – North, South, Central, East and West – that replaced the seven former military regions. Starting in 2014, he became the youngest officer at corps level when he was promoted to chief of staff of the Air Force in the former Shenyang Military Region.

As the present Air Force commander General Ma Xiaotian 67, is expected to step down in the power reshuffle at the Communist Party’s 19th National Congress in autumn next year, the deputy chief of the joint staff Lieutenant General Yi Xiaoguang, 58, is tipped to succeed him.

Chang will be one of the strongest contenders for the position of Air Force commander when Yi retires after serving one or two official five-year terms.