Articles

Chen Xiaogong: A Political Biography

After less than a year in the position, Deputy Chief of the General Staff for intelligence Zhang Qinsheng’s duties were assumed in June 2007 by new Assistant Chief of the General Staff Chen Xiaogong, a career intelligence officer in the General Staff’s Second Department. Chen is well known in American sinological circles, having served two tours at the PRC Embassy in Washington, and is well respected by interlocutors as a fluent America hand and strategic thinker. Yet Major General Chen’s 2001–2003 tour in the United States as defense attaché was also a career disappointment, as the hangover from the EP-3A crisis precluded contact with the Department of Defense for his entire tenure. This article outlines and analyzes Chen’s biography, assessing the implications of his career track and experiences for Sino-U.S. security relations.

Friday, October 5, 2007 0 min read By:

James Mulvenon,