The announcement was the first time either of the two – who had both been in military positions outside the Rocket Force – were named as the force’s leadership.
Beijing gave no reason for the change, making the case yet another example of the lack of transparency in China’s political system.
The newly appointed Rocket Force leadership both previously held deputy positions in other parts of the military.
New missile silosThe leadership change comes as evidence points to an expanding Chinese nuclear force – creating an even more important role for the Rocket Force, which until 2016 was known as the PLA Second Artillery Force.
They are responsible for handling and delivering China’s nuclear weapons,” said Drew Thompson, a senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
Persons:
Xi Jinping, Wang Houbin, Xu Xisheng, Li Yuchao, Qin Gang, Li, Xu Zhongbo, Xu, China’s, ”, Yun Sun, Li Gang, Xi, “, Qin, Wang Yi, Carl Schuster, “ Xi, ” Schuster, Wang, Neil Thomas, Roderick Lee, Drew Thompson, Lee, ” Thompson
Organizations:
CNN, Liberation Army Rocket Force, Rocket Force, Xinhua, Communist Party, Stimson, Communist Party’s, Military Commission, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, PLA Navy, Southern Theater Command, Asia Society, Center for, USAF Air University China Aerospace Studies, ” CNN, China’s Ministry of Defense, PLA Second Artillery Force, US Defense Department, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public, National University of Singapore, “
Locations:
China, Suzhou, Taiwan, Washington, Beijing, Xinhua, Hawaii, Center for China, United States