Xiao Jinguang (Chinese: 萧劲光 or 肖劲光; pinyin: Xiāo Jìnguāng; Former name Xiao Yucheng 萧玉成 Nickname: Man Ge 满哥) (January 4, 1903 – March 29, 1989) was a revolutionary and military leader, one of the main leaders of the Red Army and the People's Liberation Army, and one of the ten senior flag officers of the PLA and the only Fleet Admiral in PLA Navy history.

From 1954 to 1982, Xiao served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and from 1979 to 1983 as the Vice Chairman of the Fifth National People's Congress Standing Committee.

In 1920, Xiao joined the Research Society of Russia with his friend Ren Bishi, and listened to the speeches of famous social activists in Hunan including Mao Zedong and He Shuheng.

In August, Xiao and Ren joined the "Foreign Language Society", established by the Shanghai Communist Group for the young to study in Russia.

After returning to China in 1930, Xiao took up the post of Chief of Staff and Director of the Political Department of Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi Military Region and participated in the Counter-Campaign against "Encirclement and Suppression".

The leaders of "Leftism"[3] Wang Ming blamed Xiao for losing Lichuan (黎川) to the enemy, expelled him from CCP and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment.

"[4] Throughout the whole stage of The Second Sino-Japanese War, out of the class nature, the Kuomintang diehards fought negatively Japanese and opposed positively communist.

"[5] In the meantime, in the face of the Kuomintang's economic blockade, Xiao led the broad officers of Stay Corps, with masses and soldiers in the border areas, to launch the great production campaign which made Nanniwan "a good Jiangnan" in northern Shanxi (the Song "Nanniwan" is an apt reflection of this situation).

In the Yan'an Rectification Movement from 1941 to 1945, Xiao strengthened the learning and the research in military theories and published "Guerrilla Warfare Guiding Essentials", "Close Combat Tactics" and other articles.

"[6] After Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, Xiao Jinguang transferred to the Deputy Commander and the Chief of Staff of the Shandong Military Area.

In March 1948, the Northeast Field Army cut off the Beining and the Zhongchang Railways, then Changchun was isolated in the Songliao Plain.

In mid-July, the XII Corps, which was commanded by Xiao, and the other four Field Armies liberated Yichang, Shashi, Changde and the vast areas of Hunan and Jiangxi.

In early September, the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee issued the combat mission against Bai Chongxi and Song Xilian troops.

On January 12, 1950, Xiao was appointed as Commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy and also served as the president and political commissar of the Dalian Naval Academy.

In April 1952, a delegation led by Xiao visited the Soviet Union for solving the problem of naval weapons and equipment.

In June 1956, he attended the first Congress of Party Representatives and proposed the theory that "our work base on the existing power and focus on the air force, the submarine and the torpedo boat."

In 1962, he was ostracized by Lin Biao, but in March 1965, Xiao Jinguang still served as a member of the third session of the National People's Congress.

On August 6, the People's Liberation Army Navy engaged with ROCN, sinking the ROC gunboats Zhangjiang and Jianmen.

In 1971, after the Lin Biao incident, Xiao returned to his work in the navy and took charge of producing nuclear-powered submarines (resulting in the Type 092) and guided-missile destroyers.