Zhang Shibo

Zhang Shibo was born in February 1952 in Zhuji, Zhejiang Province. He joined the PLA in 1970, serving as an ordinary soldier in the Jinan Military Region. He later rose to deputy commander of the 54th Group Army, deputy chief of staff of the Jinan MR, and commander of the 20th Group Army. He graduated from Shandong University with a degree in Marxist philosophy.^[1]

In 2008, he replaced Lieutenant General Wang Jitang as commander of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison. He attained the rank of lieutenant general (zhong jiang) in July 2009.^[1][2]

In October 2012, Zhang Shibo was promoted to commander of the Beijing Military Region. In December 2014, Lieutenant General Song Puxuan replaced him as commander of the Beijing MR, and Zhang took over Song's old position as president of the PLA National Defence University.^[1] On 31 July 2015, Zhang Shibo was promoted to general (shang jiang), the highest rank for Chinese military officers in active service.^[3]

In 2017, Zhang Shibo authored a book that spoke of the potential for biological warfare to include "specific ethnic genetic attacks."^[4]

Zhang was an alternate of the 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (2007–12), and a full member of the 18th Central Committee (2012–17).^[1][2]