Zhou Deli
Zhou Deli | |
|---|---|
| 周德礼 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1922 Xizhaitang Village, Mentougou District, Beijing, Republic of China |
| Died | July 2025 Nanjing, Jiangsu, China |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  People's Republic of China |
| Years of service | 1939–1985 |
| Rank | Senior Colonel |
Zhou Deli (Chinese: 周德礼; September 1922 – July 2025) was a senior officer of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, holding the rank of senior colonel. He served as Chief of Staff of the Guangzhou Military Region and later the Nanjing Military Region.[1]
Biography
Zhou Deli was born in September 1922 in Xizhaitang Village, Mentougou District, Beijing. He joined the Eighth Route Army in his hometown on July 15, 1939, serving as a soldier in the 10th Regiment of the Pingbei Military Subdistrict. He became a member of the Chinese Communist Party in the same year. In 1953, Zhou was appointed as the First Deputy Division Commander and Chief of Staff of the 215th Division under the 55th Army, working under Division Commander Zhang Jingbai and Political Commissar Jiang Tengjiao. In 1954, he was promoted to Division Commander of the 215th Division, with Li Zhenjun as Political Commissar.[2]
Zhou was awarded the military rank of senior colonel in 1955 and subsequently enrolled in the Senior Accelerated Course of the Nanjing Military Academy. Upon graduation in 1957, he remained at the academy as an instructor in the Department of Campaign Tactics.[3]
In 1960, Zhou was again confirmed at the senior colonel level. In April 1970, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Guangxi Military District, and in November 1971, he became the Commander of the 55th Army, serving alongside Political Commissar Yan Shuhu. He later rose to the position of Chief of Staff of the Guangzhou Military Region in December 1977 and was transferred to serve as Chief of Staff of the Nanjing Military Region in December 1980. Zhou retired from active duty in June 1985.[4]
He was a delegate to the 10th and 11th National Congresses of the Chinese Communist Party and also served as a deputy to the 6th National People's Congress. Zhou Deli was the recipient of several military honors, including the Third Class Medal of Independence and Freedom and the Second Class Medal of Liberation.[5]
On July 21, 2025, Zhou died in Nanjing, Jiangsu.[1]
References
- ^ a b "周德礼同志逝世-新华网". 新华网_让新闻离你更近 (in Chinese). 2025-08-02. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
- ^ "原南京军区参谋长周德礼同志逝世 享年103岁_连副_宛平_门头沟区". 搜狐 (in Chinese). 2025-08-02. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
- ^ "开国大校周德礼，享受正兵团职待遇，可以称为将军吗". 参谋长_网易订阅 (in Chinese). 2025-08-04. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
- ^ "10万部队拉大网搜索越军，这是许世友上将的发明，效果非常喜人". Sohu. Archived from the original on 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ^ "路军武装越野，掉队新兵发现秘诀，建国后成为大军区参谋长". Archived from the original on 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-05-06.