BEIJING, Sept 29 (Reuter) - President Jiang Zemin's reshuffle of China's military at a crucial Communist Party plenum signals a consolidation of power with the hallmark of approval from Deng Xiaoping, the ailing super-leader he hopes to succeed.

"This is the one and only clear sign that Deng Xiaoping has had an influence over key policy for a year," a military expert said on Friday, a day after the powerful party central committee ended an annual meeting by adding two new generals to the party's seven-man Central Military Commission.

"Jiang had not been able to pull this off until now. He could not get Deng's approval because of his poor health," he said, adding that such strategic appointments were only possible with a nod from the fragile 91-year-old paramount leader.

The addition of two generals, including a Deng protege, to the panel and promotion of two others as commission vice chairmen mark a major achievement by Jiang, who is president and party chief, in consolidating his power, diplomats said.

"It's difficult to write him off as just a caretaker after this," the military expert said.

Some diplomats and China analysts have dismissed Jiang as a transitional figure lacking the personal clout, political power base and administrative ability to step into Deng's shoes.

In the secretive four-day meeting, the 176 members present promoted Defence Minister Chi Haotian, 66, and Chief of General Staff Zhang Wannian, 67, to join ageing vice-chairmen Liu Huaqing, who turns 79 next month, and Zhang Zhen, whose 81st birthday is also in October.

"This decision is advantageous to strengthen military work, is advantageous to ensure new blood replaces old in the commission and is advantageous for the long-term building of the military and political stability," the People's Liberation Army Daily said in a front-page editorial.

Jiang had fought for more than a year to promote Defence Minister Chi, one of his most loyal supporters, as a commission vice-chairman but absence of consensus and the lack of a nod from Deng, whose health has turned increasingly fragile over the last 18 months, held up the move, analysts said.

"Jiang must be very pleased," the military analyst said.

His emphasis on fortifying his powerbase in the military echoes the career of Deng himself, whose only real job through the 1980s and early 1990s when he spearheaded China's sweeping market-oriented economic reforms was chairman of the party Military Commission a post that Jiang now holds.

"Jiang has moved very carefully and cautiously," said the military analyst, adding that this latest line-up provided a transition that could foster stability when Deng dies.

The appointments also lay the groundwork for Jiang to shunt aside Zheng Zhen and Liu Huaqing both critical of Jiang in recent months after Deng passes from the scene.

"In terms of military support, Jiang is now way ahead of any other of China's civilian leaders," said one western diplomat.

In Thursday's shuffle, Jiang elevated to the commission General Wang Ruilin, 66, the shadowy head of Deng's personal office, and General Wang Ke, 64, head of the second most important military region of northeastern Shenyang and one of the fastest rising stars of the People's Liberation Army.

The appointment of Wang Ruilin, not popular in the military because he earned his stripes as Deng's secretary and not on the battlefield, nevertheless could signal personal approval from the reclusive Deng.

"Deng has seen he has to relinquish more controls to Jiang Zemin as the only person in a position to succeed him," one diplomat said. "But he's got another of his men on the commission."

Deng made Jiang his successor in June 1989 after using the army to crush huge pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square.