The following is the biographical sketch of Xu Caihou:

Xu Caihou, male, ethnic Han, native of Wafangdian, Liaoning Province, born in June 1943. Joined the CPC in April 1971 and the army in August 1963. Graduated from the Electronics Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering with a university education.

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. Holds the military rank as General.

1963-1968 Student of the Electronics Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering

1968-1970 Worked on the farm of the 39th Army

1970-1971 Soldier of the 6th Company, the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the Independent Division of the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command

1971-1972 Deputy political instructor of the 2nd Company of the1st Battalion of the Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Division of the Garrison of the Shenyang Military Area Command

1972-1982 Secretary and deputy chief of the Personnel Division of the Political Department of the Jilin Military Area Command (1980-1982: trainee at the PLA Institute of Political Sciences)

1982-1983 Chief of the Personnel Division of the Political Department of the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command and concurrently chief of the office for retirees

1983-1984 Deputy director of the Political Department of the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command

1984-1985 Director of the Mass Work Section of the Political Department of the Shenyang Military Area Command

1985-1990 Director of the Political Department of the 16th Group Army of the Ground Force

1990-1992 Political Commissar of the 16th Group Army of the Ground Force

1992-1993 Assistant director of the PLA General Political Department, assistant director of the Department and concurrently director of the Liberation Army Daily

1993-1994 Deputy director of the PLA General Political Department and concurrently director of the Liberation Army Daily

1994-1996 Deputy Director of the PLA General Political Department

1996-1999 Political Commissar of the Ji'nan Military Area Command and Secretary of its Party Committee

1999-2000 Member of the CPC 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

2000-2002 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

2002-2004 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

2004-2005 Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission and member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China

2005-2007 Member of the Secretariat 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

2007- 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

Member of the Fifteenth through Seventeenth CPC Central Committees. Member of the Secretariat of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee. Member of the Political Bureau of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee. Co-opted member of the CPC Central Military Commission at the Fourth Plenary Session of the Fifteenth CPC Central Committee. Member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the Twelfth Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress. Member of the CPC Central Military Commission appointed at the First Plenary Session of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee. Member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the First Session of the Tenth National People's Congress. Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission appointed at the Fourth Plenary Session of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee. Vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the Third Session of the Tenth National People's Congress. Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission appointed at the First Plenary Session of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2007)