Beijing: Chinese military helmsman Jiang Zemin has stepped down from the chairmanship of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the state media reported today (Sep 19, 2004).

President Hu Jintao has taken over as the new Chairman of the CMC.

Jiang, 78, who clung on to as the commander-in-chief of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) since 1989 has retired, giving chance to younger leaders to take full control of governing the world's most populous nation, including leading the 2.5-million-strong armed forces.

The much-speculated news came at the end of a four-day closed-door assembly, a key meeting of the Communist Party Central Committee attended by some 198 top party officials and hundreds of cadres.