1. Early Life and Education
1.1. Birth and Growth Background
Li Jinai was born in July 1942 in Teng County, which is now known as Tengzhou, located in Shandong province.
1.2. Education
He pursued his higher education at the Harbin Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in 1966 with a major in Engineering Mechanics.
2. Military Career
Li Jinai's military career was marked by consistent progression through various key departments and a steady rise in rank, demonstrating his significant contributions to the People's Liberation Army.
2.1. Joining the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army
Li Jinai formally joined the Chinese Communist Party in May 1965. Following his party membership, he enlisted in the People's Liberation Army in December 1967.
2.2. Early Service and Career Progression
Upon joining the PLA, Li Jinai embarked on a long period of service as a political officer within the Second Artillery Corps. His initial roles included serving as a platoon leader, followed by positions such as deputy propaganda officer for a regiment, and later, deputy political commissar for a regiment.
In 1977, he took on the role of Youth Section Chief within the Organization Department of the Political Department of the Second Artillery Corps. Subsequently, he was promoted to Deputy Head of the Organization Department. His leadership continued to advance, and in 1983, he was appointed Deputy Political Commissar of a Second Artillery Corps Base. In 1985, he was transferred to the General Political Department of the PLA, where he initially served as Bureau Chief of Cadre Management before being appointed Deputy Director.
2.3. Service in Major Military Departments
Li Jinai held significant leadership roles across several crucial military departments, contributing to their strategic and operational functions.
2.3.1. General Political Department
In April 1990, Li Jinai was appointed Deputy Director of the General Political Department. His responsibilities expanded significantly in September 2004, when he was appointed Director of the General Political Department of the PLA. He held this pivotal position until his retirement in October 2012.
2.3.2. General Armament Department
With the establishment of the General Armament Department in April 1998, Li Jinai was appointed its Political Commissar. From 1998 to 2002, he served as both the political commissar and deputy party secretary of this department. In November 2002, he was elected as Director of the General Armament Department, a role he maintained until 2004.
2.3.3. State Commission of Science and Technology for National Defense Industry
Li Jinai also played a role in the strategic development of national defense. In November 1990, he was appointed Deputy Political Commissar of the State Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. His tenure in this commission continued from 1992 to 1998, during which he served as deputy political commissar and later as political commissar. Specifically, in July 1995, he became Political Commissar of the State Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
2.4. Military Ranks and Promotions
Throughout his distinguished military career, Li Jinai steadily advanced through the ranks of the People's Liberation Army. He was promoted to Major General in September 1988. His ascent continued, and he achieved the rank of Lieutenant General in July 1993. In June 2000, he was promoted to the highest military rank, General.
3. Political Career and Party Activities
Li Jinai's career was deeply intertwined with the Chinese Communist Party, where he held influential positions within its central organs, reflecting his dual military and political leadership.
3.1. Chinese Communist Party Central Committee
Li Jinai was an alternate member of the 14th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. His standing within the party solidified as he became a full member of the Central Committee at the 15th Party Congress in September 1997. He continued to serve as a full member through the 16th and 17th Central Committees. At the 17th Party Congress in November 2007, he was re-elected as a member of the Central Committee.
3.2. Central Military Commission
His influence extended to the highest echelons of military leadership within the party. In November 2002, Li Jinai was elected as a member of the Central Military Commission of the CCP. One year later, in 2003, he was also elected as a member of the Central Military Commission of the state. He was re-elected as a member of the Central Military Commission at the 17th Party Congress in November 2007.
4. Retirement
Li Jinai's long and distinguished career in the military and party concluded with his retirement. In October 2012, he retired from his position as Director of the General Political Department, a transition that occurred prior to the 18th Party Congress. In November 2012, at the 18th Party Congress, he officially retired from his roles as a member of the Party Central Committee and the Party Central Military Commission. He was succeeded by Zhang Yang as Director of the General Political Department.
5. Assessment and Impact
Li Jinai's career demonstrates a significant and sustained commitment to the political and organizational aspects of the People's Liberation Army. His extensive tenure in key departments such as the General Political Department and the General Armament Department highlights his instrumental role in shaping the internal structure and ideological direction of the Chinese military. His steady rise through the ranks, from a junior officer to a General, coupled with his membership in the Central Committee and Central Military Commission, underscores his considerable influence within both the military and the Chinese Communist Party. His contributions were primarily focused on the internal administration, political work, and modernization of the PLA's armaments, which were integral to the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to consolidate its control over the military and maintain its one-party rule in China.
6. Notable Activities
In November 2011, Li Jinai led a high-level military delegation on an official visit to Pyongyang, North Korea. During this visit, he met with Kim Jong-il, the then-leader of North Korea. This engagement served to underscore the "friendly relations between China and North Korea" and their continued development across generations.