Fan Changlong, male, Han nationality, is a native of Donggang City, Liaoning province. He was born in 1947, and joined the PLA and the CPC in 1969. He was promoted to the rank of major general in 1995, and lieutenant general in 2002. Fan served successively as a platoon leader, political instructor, battalion commander, and deputy regimental commander in the PLA. Fan was educated at the Beijing Military Academy and the Xuanhua Artillery Academy. He served as chief of staff of the 16th Group Army until 2000. In the same year he was promoted to chief of staff of the Shenyang Military Region and in 2004 he became Commander of the Jinan Military Region.
Fan Changlong was an alternate member of the 16th CPC Central Committee and is currently a member of the 17th CPC Central Committee. In 2008, he was promoted to the rank of general.
In 2012 he was appointed vice-chairman of the 18th CPC Central Military Commission and member of the Politburo of the 18th CPC Central Committee. In 2013 he became Vice-Chairman of Central Military Commission of PRC.