Xu Caihou, born in June 1943.

• 1963-68: Student of the Electronics Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering

• 1968-70: Worked on the farm of the 39th Army

• 1970-85: Soldier and officer at the Shenyang Military Area Command

• 1985-92: Officer of various units of the 16th Group Army of the Ground Force

• 1992-96: Assistant director, deputy director of the PLA General Political Department

• 1996-99: Political commissar of the Jinan Military Area Command and secretary of its Party committee

• 1999-2000: Member of the Communist Party of China Central Military Commission, member of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, executive deputy director of the PLA General Political Department, and deputy secretary of its Party Committee

• 2000-02: Member of the CPC Central Military Commission, member of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, and executive deputy director of the PLA General Political Department and concurrently secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee of the CPC Central Military Commission and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the PLA General Political Department

• 2002-04: Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, member of the CPC Central Military Commission, member of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, and director of the PLA General Political Department and secretary of its Party committee

• 2004-07: Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, member and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China

• 2007-12: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China