 He was elevated to full membership at the 9th CC in 1969 and retained that status through the 12th CC (1982–87), where he served as a Full Politburo member.General Yang also served on the CC Secretariat, February 1980-September 1982, and on the Military Affairs Committee, from 1980 to 1987.He was Vice Minister of National Defence during much of the 1980s.