China-Vietnam war vet eyes defence portfolio - sources

By Benjamin Kang Lim

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese General Liang Guanglie, a key player in the event of war over Taiwan, is likely to become defence minister, sources with ties to the leadership said on Tuesday.

The National People's Congress, or parliament, is set to approve Liang's nomination as both defence minister and state councillor at its annual session March 5-18, two sources said, requesting anonymity.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since their split in 1949 amid civil war and threatened to attack the self-ruled democratic island if it formally declares independence.

China's defence minister holds little independent power, with military policy set by the Central Military Commission headed by President Hu Jintao.

But that role would put Liang in a prominent spot as the chief explainer of Chinese military policy to the outside world. As well, state councillor is a powerful advisory position that outranks a cabinet minister and would give Liang the ear of China's state leaders.

Liang, 67, who fought in China's brief and humiliating 1979 border war with Vietnam, will replace General Cao Gangchuan, 72, who will retire.

In a departure from tradition, the new defence minister will neither be a member of the Communist Party's 25-member decision-making Politburo nor a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, the top military body.

"The vice-chairmen of the Military Commission will focus on modernisation," one source told Reuters, referring to transformation of the 2.3-million-strong People's Liberation Army, the world's biggest armed forces.