President Xi Promotes Two Naval Officers to Top Ranks Amid South China Sea, Taiwan Tensions

Chinese President Xi Jinping has promoted two naval officers, including a submarine expert, as top naval commanders which involves the Chinese navy’s operations in the disputed South China Sea.

Xi, who is also the chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the armed forces besides being the President and head of the ruling Communist Party, has presented certificates of order to promote two military officers to the rank of General, official media reported on Tuesday.

General is the highest rank for officers in active service in China. The promoted officers included Political Commissar of the Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Wang Wenquan, and Commander of the PLA Navy Hu Zhongming, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Hu was a submarine specialist with extensive experience at sea, having taken part in the Navy’s first global mission and numerous exercises. Hu’s submarine detachment was awarded a rare first-class merit in 2013, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Little else has been said publicly about the unit except that Hu avoided a serious accident during a test run of an unspecified new type of submarine, according to a 2008, the Post report said. China has expanded its naval power significantly in recent years with three aircraft carriers.

The PLA Navy has three major fleets. The South Sea Fleet has significantly increased its presence in the South China Sea, where China’s sovereignty claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Equally, the East Sea Fleet would play a major role in conflicts involving Japan and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as part of its mainland and has ratcheted military drills around the island raising concerns of military action.

China’s military leadership has undergone several changes this year. Former Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu who headed the country’s missile forces was suddenly removed in October this year and expelled from the CMC.

China has not given any reason for his dismissal and the position has remained vacant. Vietnam, The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the South China Sea. For its part, China claims most of the South China Sea, which now has become a new theatre of confrontation.