Fast forward to now -- writing for the latest edition of the China Brief (here), Dr Zhang, associate professor in the Department of Leadership and Strategy at the Air War College (USAF), predicts that he is inline as the next Political Commissar of the entire PLAAF. If Dr Zhang's prediction is correct, expect to see a different PLAAF five years from now under General Liu's new leadership.
From Dr Zhang's latest China Brief write-up "The Leadership of the PLAAF after 2012" (here)
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General Deng Changyou’s replacement as political commissar will most likely be Lt General Liu Yazhou, who is currently political commissar of the PLA NDU
[snip]
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Striving for an Independent Air Force
As early as 2000, Lt General Liu Yazhou proposed that Chinese military authorities consider reorganizing the PLAAF into functional air commands by separating the air force from the PLA military region (MR) system to become a true independent service. Ostensibly to make the PLAAF a more offensively oriented air force, he further recommended the use of the U.S. Air Force’s “expeditionary force” model to organize air force units into air strike groups with a mix of fighters, bombers, and early warning aircraft [14]. His advocacy for eliminating the ground force dominated military system, however, has received little support from the PLA military establishment.
Blog entry from August 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2010/08/lt-general-liu-yazhou-is-on-news-again.html#comments
Lt General Liu Yazhou is on the news again
As the newly promoted Political Commissar (PC) of the PLA's National Defense University (a rank just shy of the CMC) Lt General Liu is once again delivering his provocative view developed from his Chengdu Air Force days -- embrace a US-style democracy or accept a Soviet-style collapse.
Lt General Liu's free airing of his provocative views on both foreign and domestic issues, especially his calls for political reform and for the freedom of expression, is unprecedented. Thus far, his views are not only strengthening his career but also making him one of the most covered personalities by the PLA-watching community. (here) (here) He was a visiting scholar at Stanford University from 1986 to 1987, a fact that might help explain the origin of his "Pro-Western" views.
In addition to being the PC for the National Defense University, Lt General Liu is also serving as a member of the CCP's Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection, China's top anti-graft watchdog.
China must reform or die
http://www.smh.com.au/world/china-must-reform-or-die-20100811-11zxd.html
JOHN GARNAUT
August 12, 2010
A Chinese two-star general has warned his conservative Communist Party masters and firebrand People's Liberation Army colleagues that China must either embrace US-style democracy or accept Soviet-style collapse.
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