China names new chief of staff

BEIJING, October 25, 2012





China has appointed a new army chief of staff and other top officers in the run-up to next month's national leadership transition. The Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that General Fang Fenghui, commander of the Beijing Military Region is taking over as chief administrator of the People's Liberation Army.



The appointment puts Gen. Fang, a former head of the military region that includes Beijing, firmly on track for a position on the Central Military Commission overseeing the 2.3 million-member PLA when the new lineup is announced at the Communist Party congress that begins Nov. 8, 2012



The appointments were long anticipated as part of the shift to power under incoming party leader Xi Jinping. The selections reflect the choices of outgoing President Hu Jintao, who oversaw the promotion of officers such as Gen. Fang during his decade in power.



Gen. Fang, who commanded an elaborate military parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the communist state in 2009, was promoted to full general by Gen. Hu in 2010.



China's armed forces have undergone a massive upgrading in weapons and tactics in recent years, spurred by double-digit percentage increases in the defence budget and Beijing's increasing willingness to assert its maritime territorial claims.



The PLA's three other top army staff positions also received new directors. Gen. Zhao Keshi was named head of logistics, Gen. Zhang Youxia as head of armaments, and Gen. Zhang Yang as director of the political department, the ministry said.



Several other deputy positions were announced, and the ministry earlier named former fighter pilot Ma Xiaotian to lead China's air force.
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