Ethnic Han, born in June 1943, native of Wafangdian, Liaoning Province.

Xu, Central Military Commission (CMC) vice chairman from 2004 to 2012, confessed to taking bribes, military prosecutors announced on Oct. 28, 2014.

He joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in April 1971 and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in August 1963. Graduated from the Electronics Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering with a university education.

1963-1968: Student of the Electronics Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering.

1968-1970: Worked on the farm of the 39th Army.

1970-1971: Soldier of the 6th Company, the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the Independent Division of the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command.

1971-1972: Deputy political instructor of the 2nd Company of the 1st Battalion of the Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Division of the Garrison of the Shenyang Military Area Command.

1972-1982: Secretary and deputy chief of the Personnel Division of the Political Department of the Jilin Military Area Command (1980-1982: trainee at the PLA Institute of Political Sciences).

1982-1983: Chief of the Personnel Division of the Political Department of the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command and concurrently chief of the office for retirees.

1983-1984: Deputy director of the Political Department of the Jilin Provincial Military Area Command.

1984-1985: Director of the Mass Work Section of the Political Department of the Shenyang Military Area Command.

1985-1990: Director of the Political Department of the 16th Group Army of the Ground Force.

1990-1992: Political Commissar of the 16th Group Army of the Ground Force.

1992-1993: Assistant director of the PLA General Political Department, assistant director of the Department and concurrently director of the Liberation Army Daily.

1993-1994: Deputy director of the PLA General Political Department and concurrently director of the Liberation Army Daily.

1994-1996: Deputy Director of the PLA General Political Department.

1996-1999: Political Commissar of the Ji'nan Military Area Command and Secretary of its Party Committee.

1999-2000: Member of the CPC Central Military Commission, member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China, executive deputy director of the PLA General Political Department, and deputy secretary of its Party Committee.

2000-2002: Member of the CPC Central Military Commission, member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China, and executive deputy director of the PLA General Political Department and concurrently secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee of the CPC Central Military Commission and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the PLA General Political Department.

2002-2004: Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, member of the CPC Central Military Commission, member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China, and director of the PLA General Political Department and secretary of its Party Committee.

2004-2005: Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission and member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China.

2005-2007: Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, and Vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China.

2007- Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (till November, 2012); Vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission (till November, 2012), and Vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China (till March 15, 2013)

Member of the 15th through 17th CPC Central Committees. Member of the Secretariat of the 16th CPC Central Committee. Member of the Political Bureau of the 17th CPC Central Committee. Co-opted member of the CPC Central Military Commission at the 4th Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee. Member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the 12th Session of the Standing Committee of the 9th National People's Congress.Member of the CPC Central Military Commission appointed at the 1st Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee. Member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the 1st Session of the 10th National People's Congress. Vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission appointed at the 4th Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee. Vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the 3rd Session of the 10th National People's Congress. Vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission appointed at the 1st Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee. Vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China appointed at the 1st Session of the 11th National People's Congress.

On June 30, 2014, Xu was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and his case handed over to prosecutors, announced the CPC Central Committee.

Investigation found that Xu took advantage of his post to assist the promotion of other people and accepted bribes personally and through his family members. He was also found to have sought profits for others in exchange for money and properties, taken through his family members.

Xu confessed to taking bribes, military prosecutors announced on Oct. 28, 2014. Military prosecutors have finished investigation to Xu's graft case and started the procedure to file the case, said a statement from the military procuratorate.