Background and History Born in Jinzhai County, Anhui Province in 1913, Hong joined the CCP and the Chinese Red Army in 1929. During the Chinese civil war, he served as the commander of the Heilongjiang Provincial Military District, the Sixth Army of the Northwestern Field Army, the Forty-third Army of the Fourth Field Army, and deputy commander of the Liaoxi Provincial Military District.

Proclamation of the People's Republic of China After the founding of the Peoples' Republic of China, he became the deputy commander and chief of staff of the Fifteenth Army Group, chief and political commissar of the PLA General Logistical Headquarters, director of the National Defense Industry of the PRC State Council, and deputy secretary-general of the CCP Central Military Commission.

Activities in Korean War Hong Xuezhi was the deputy commander of the Chinese Peoples' Volunteer Force and chief of the CPVF Logistics Department during the Korean War. He was one of the leading commanders who participated in the entire war, from establishing the CPVF in 1950 to negotiating the Korean Armistice in 1953. He was made General in 1955.