Ma Xiaotian, Liu Yuan, and Zhang Haiyang have been promoted to the rank of general; all three are descendants of prominent families.

The Central Military Commission (CMC) grandly held the promotion to general military rank ceremony yesterday afternoon at the August 1st Building in Beijing. Vice Chairman of the CMC Guo Boxiong read out the order signed by Chairman of the CMC Hu Jintao on June 28th to promote relevant persons to the rank of general. Hu Jintao presented the order of promotion to officers promoted to general rank. Senior officers promoted this time include: Vice Chief of the General Staff Ma Xiaotian, Political Commissar of the Academy of Military Science Liu Yuan, and Political Commissar of Chengdu Military Region Zhang Haiyang.