Former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang Reportedly Died Suddenly in Panic

The new prophecy mentions that Xi will face a rebellion from the military and local warlords. The image shows the representatives of the Chinese military attending the Two Sessions in Beijing. (Video screenshot)

[People News] In recent days, online rumours have circulated that former Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Military Commission (CMC), Xu Qiliang, died of a "heart attack." Reports indicate that Xu collapsed suddenly in a state of extreme panic and was "scared to death." Today (June 2), China's state-run Xinhua News Agency officially announced Xu Qiliang’s death on June 2.

According to Xinhua, Xu Qiliang died of illness in Beijing at 12:12 p.m. on June 2, 2025, at the age of 75. The report hailed him as a "loyal communist warrior tested by time" and "an outstanding leader of the People’s Liberation Army."

Public records show that Xu Qiliang joined the Chinese military in July 1966 and became a member of the Chinese Communist Party in July 1967. In June 2007, he was promoted to the rank of Air Force General. He served as a member of the CCP’s 18th and 19th Politburo and as a former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Just two days before the official announcement of Xu’s death, Chinese media figure Zhao Lanjian revealed on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on May 31 that, as several high-ranking military officials were being taken away, a former top figure in the military—considered the "last banner"—had suddenly collapsed. News of Xu Qiliang’s death reportedly surfaced early on May 28, 2025.

Zhao reported that, according to early internal CCP accounts, Xu died of a "heart attack." However, sources within the military suggested the real circumstances were far more complex. Xu had allegedly been marginalised amid pre-war purges ahead of a possible Taiwan conflict and had been living under prolonged high stress. Ultimately, he collapsed suddenly due to extreme psychological fear. One military insider bluntly stated: “Xu Qiliang was scared to death.”

Zhao emphasised, “This was by no means an ordinary death.”

Early last year, widespread rumours claimed Xu Qiliang was under investigation. Given the wave after wave of purges in the Chinese military throughout 2023, Xu seemed a likely target for the next round. However, Xu was seen at a Chinese New Year performance by the Central Military Commission in late January, appearing to have landed safely, seemingly escaping trouble.

According to analysis from Dajiyuan, the rumours earlier this year that Xu was under investigation likely had some basis. Xu was heavily promoted by Hu Jintao and served as the top-ranking Vice Chairman of the CMC before Zhang Youxia. He was highly respected and connected within the military. While Xu helped Xi Jinping purge the Jiang Zemin faction figures such as Xu Caihou and Guo Boxiong, he was not considered one of Xi’s trusted allies. Now that even Xi's confidants are under suspicion, someone like Xu, closely tied to Hu Jintao, would have even more difficulty avoiding scrutiny.

Just before the 20th Party Congress, Xu gave a public speech in which he made no mention of the slogan promoting Xi, the "Two Establishes." At the same time, articles on the PLA and Ministry of Defence websites called for rule-based governance in the military rather than relying on personal authority, implicitly criticising Xi’s "chairman responsibility system" for the military. This may have offended Xi Jinping.

Following that, the Tuanpai (Communist Youth League faction) was unexpectedly wiped out at the 20th Party Congress, with Hu Jintao publicly escorted out of the venue. Not long afterwards, Li Keqiang, who had just retired, died under suspicious circumstances. Thus, it’s not surprising that Xu Qiliang, a military official who had been loyal to Hu, might also become a target of a purge.

Earlier this year, both Xu Qiliang and Hu Jintao’s son, Hu Haifeng, were reported missing around the same time. After Hu Haifeng was announced as the new Vice Minister of Civil Affairs, Xu also reappeared publicly shortly afterwards. The fact that both were rumoured to be in danger and then safe again at nearly the same time suggests, according to The Epoch Times, that this was likely no coincidence. Xu, a trusted protégé of Hu Jintao, may have served as a symbolic concession in the political power struggles between Xi and other factions.

In fact, Xu Qiliang was not only connected to the Tuanpai but also had ties to the Jiang faction and the “second red generation” (offspring of Party elders)—all of which could have fueled the leadership’s suspicion of him.

In 1999, under the leadership of Jiang Zemin, the CMC approved a training program for division-level officers at the National Defence University, known informally as the "Dragon Class." Among the three Air Force members selected was Xu Qiliang, then commander of the Shenyang Military Region Air Force.

In 2004, Jiang’s final year as chairman of the CMC, Xu was promoted to Deputy Chief of the General Staff—a break from the tradition of appointing only Army officers to the role.

A past viral article titled “The Young Faction in the Army: Telling You the Truth About Xu Qiliang” accused Xu of lacking courage in battle. During his tenure as Air Force Commander, he allegedly never ordered flights across the Taiwan Strait median line or the East China Sea line with Japan. He also reportedly avoided inspections of disputed areas in Tibet. This portrayal suggests Xu was not a hawk. Consequently, he may have become linked with military figures opposing Xi’s aggressive stance on Taiwan and who were later purged.

A former officer of Xu’s old unit, Air Force Division 26, stated that Xu’s career advanced due to his organisational skills and solid military expertise. His stature and influence within the military may have put Xi Jinping in a difficult position regarding whether to remove him.

Recently, The Epoch Times cited authoritative sources saying that although Xi Jinping remains China’s top leader in name, his influence is fading. Former Premier Wen Jiabao and current CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia have reportedly become key players shaping China’s political future. Xu Qiliang’s mysterious death at this moment may reflect the fierce power struggles within the CCP’s top leadership and the chaos engulfing Zhongnanhai. 

(First published by People News)