Cheng Zihua (FILE)

Born into a poor peasant family, Cheng Zihua (1905-1991) joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in June 1926 and graduated from the Wuhan Branch of the Huangpu (Whampoa) Military Academy, China's first modern military academy.

Cheng advocated tunnel warfare in his capacity as the Political Commissar of the Jizhong Military Area Command from 1939 to 1945, making a remarkable contribution to the Anti-Japanese Aggression War (1937-45).

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Cheng held numerous different positions including the Secretary of CPC for the Shanxi Provincial Committee, the Minister of Commerce, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and the Executive Vice President of the Alumni of Huangpu (Whampoa) Military Academy.