Born in Linqu County, Shandong to a peasant's family, he entered the PLA and its Air Force No.

Xu was promoted to head of the military division in 1983, and vice army corps commander the next year.

In 1985, he became chief of staff at the Air Force Shanghai headquarters, and also entered the PLA National Defense University for training.

[1] In July 2018, Xu met in Beijing with the US Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, to discuss regional issues and where the two men each laid out his country's military concerns before the other.

[2] Military ribbons within the People's Republic of China only reflect the wearer's echelon and time in service.