Sixteen Chinese Military, Police Officers Promoted to General

Sixteen Chinese Military,Police Officers Promoted to General

China's Central Military Commission (CMC) conferred the rank of general in Beijing Wednesday on 16 senior military and police officers.

President Jiang Zemin, who is also chairman of the commission, awarded the officers certificates of command at the ceremony.

An order for the promotion was announced by vice-president Hu Jintao, who is also vice-chairman of the CMC.

The senior officers come from the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), PLA General Political Department, PLA General Logistics Department, PLA General Equipment Department, Naval and Air forces, PLA Academy of Military Science, Beijing Military Area Command, Chengdu Military Area Command, and Armed Police Force.

In 1988, China reinstated the military rank system. Since then, 74 senior military and armed police officers have been promoted to the rank of general.