China installed a new army commander for its southern region, an unexpected move that comes after recent clashes in the South China Sea inflamed tensions with the US and its regional allies.
General Wu Yanan has been appointed to head the Southern Theater Command, according to a Chinese state media report Wednesday which referred to him by that title. Wu, born in Aug 1962, has extensive experience in the ground forces. He previously served as commander of the Central Theater Command, which is responsible for defending the capital, Beijing.
The Southern Theater Command oversees military strategy in the South China Sea, where Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims have been disputed by its neighbors. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022, has been pushing back against China’s stake over nearly all of the water, and bolstering military cooperation with the US.
Wu replaces the previous commander, 60-year-old Wang Xiubin. While there are no tenure limits for commanders, Wang’s two predecessors stepped down at the de facto retirement age of 65.
No official reason has been given for his departure, nor next steps for the general. Wang was first revealed as the Southern Theater Command chief in July 2021, when he was being promoted to general. He last appeared in public in that capacity in April, when he met with visiting French officials.
China’s military celebrates its 97th anniversary Thursday, after a tumultuous year. The world’s biggest troop by the number of active personnel has been mired in corruption scandals that impacted officials up to former Defense Minister Li Shangfu and ex-navy commander of Southern Theater Command Ju Xinchun.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for greater efforts to build a border defense system at a meeting this week, amid disputes with India and at the South China Sea. Beijing also expanded its export curbs on drones Wednesday, as Washington threatens China with sanctions over supplying Moscow with dual-use items that it says are bolstering Russia’s battlefield efforts in Ukraine.
(Bloomberg)
