General Ma Xiaotian has been named China’s Air Force commander. Ma becomes the 11th commander in the Air Force history of the People's Republic of China.
Ma Xiaotian was born in Central China’s Henan Province and is now 63 years old. He become an airforce pilot at the age of 22. He has seen a continuous series of promotions since 1972. He became the headmaster in 1983. In 2003, Ma was promoted to the deputy head of the Air Force.
Four years later in 2007 he attained his current position as deputy chief of General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army. In July 2009, he was promoted to general.