Li Yuchao

In this Chinese name, the family name is Li.
Li Yuchao
李玉超
Commander of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
In office
January 2022 – July 2023
Preceded byZhou Yaning
Succeeded byWang Houbin
Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
In office
April 2020 – January 2022
Preceded byLi Jun [zh]
Succeeded bySun Jinming
Personal details
BornNovember 1962 (age 61–62)
Sui County, Henan, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party (expelled in 2024)
Alma materPLA National Defence University
Military service
Allegiance People's Republic of China
Branch/service People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
Years of service1980–2023
Rank General

Li Yuchao (Chinese: 李玉超; pinyin: Lǐ Yùchāo; born November 1962) is a general (shangjiang) of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) who served as the commander of People's Liberation Army Rocket Force between January 2022 and July 2023.

Li was an alternate member of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and a member of the 20th Central Committee.[1] He placed under investigation by the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission in July 2023, and expelled from the CCP in July 2024.

Biography

Li was born in Sui County, Henan, in November 1962 and joined the PLA in December 1980. He graduated from the PLA National Defence University. He served in the Second Artillery Corps for a long time. He led his troops participate the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in 2009 and the 2015 China Victory Day Parade in 2015, respectively.[1] He was commander of the 53rd Base from March 2015 to July 2016, the 55th Base from July 2016 to March 2017, and the 63rd Base from March 2017 to April 2020.[2] He was assigned chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force in April 2020, and rose to become commander in January 2022.

He was promoted to the rank of major general (shaojiang) in July 2013, lieutenant general (zhongjiang) in April 2020 and general (shangjiang) in January 2022.[3]

In July 2023 the South China Morning Post reported that Li was under the investigation of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission. Later that month, Li was officially removed from his post as commander, being succeeded by Wang Houbin.[4] On 29 December 2023, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) announced Li was removed as a delegate to the NPC due to "serious violation of discipline and law".[5][6] In July 2024, the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Central Committee confirmed the decision to expel Li during a plenary session.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b 岳怀让 (17 August 2018). 候补中委李玉超履新96603部队，曾两度率部参加阅兵. The Paper (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  2. ^ Wang Jun (王俊) (3 April 2015). “导弹劲旅”、第二炮兵第53基地政委、司令员陆续换防. The Paper (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  3. ^ Mei Changwei (梅常伟) (21 January 2022). 中央军委举行晋升上将军衔警衔仪式 习近平颁发命令状并向晋衔的军官警官表示祝贺. news.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ Chan, Minnie (31 July 2023). "China names General Wang Houbin as new PLA Rocket Force chief after former commanders snared in corruption scandal". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  5. ^ "China Ousts Nine Military Lawmakers as Defense Purge Widens". Bloomberg News. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  6. ^ "中华人民共和国全国人民代表大会常务委员会公报（2024年第一号）" (PDF). National People's Congress (in Simplified Chinese). pp. 235, 236. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-02-02.
  7. ^ "China Ousts Ex-Foreign Minister Qin Gang From Central Committee". Bloomberg News. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
2020–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
2022–2023 		Succeeded by