Beijing, June 8, 2025 — The Europe Today: The cremation ceremony for Xu Qiliang, former senior military official and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was held on Sunday at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing, following his passing on June 2 at the age of 75.
President Xi Jinping, along with other senior Party and state leaders — including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi — attended the solemn ceremony to bid farewell to Xu.
Accompanied by solemn music, the leaders walked toward Xu’s remains, stood in silent tribute, and paid their final respects with three ceremonial bows. They then offered condolences and shook hands with Xu’s family.
Xu Qiliang was remembered as an exemplary member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a dedicated and loyal communist soldier, a proletarian military strategist, and a distinguished leader of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He was a member of the Political Bureau of the 18th and 19th CPC Central Committees.
Senior figures including Han Zheng and former president Hu Jintao also paid tribute to Xu, either through hospital visits or condolences extended to his family after his passing.
Xu’s death marks the end of a distinguished military career spanning decades, during which he played a critical role in modernizing China’s armed forces and shaping its defense policy.
