Xinhua News Agency reported that the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China held a promotion ceremony on Monday (31st), where General Secretary and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping promoted Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin and Political Commissar Xu Xisheng to the rank of General. According to the positions shown in the report, this signifies that Wang Houbin has replaced Li Yuchao as the Commander of the Rocket Force, while Xu Xisheng has also taken over from his predecessor, Xu Zhongbo, as the Political Commissar of the Rocket Force. However, there is currently no official update on Li Yuchao and Xu Zhongbo.
According to public records, Wang Houbin has previously served as the Director of the General Staff Department’s Office of Comprehensive Research and as Deputy Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Zhoushan Base of the East Sea Fleet. In January 2016, he served as the Chief of Staff of the South China Sea Fleet. In April 2018, he was transferred to the Naval Headquarters as Deputy Chief of Staff, and in December 2018, he was promoted to Deputy Commander of the Navy. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in December 2014, and to Vice Admiral on December 12, 2019.
Xu Xisheng has previously served as the Political Commissar of the Air Force’s Fuzhou Command, the Director of the Beijing Military Region’s Air Force Political Department, and the Director of the Central War Zone Air Force’s Political Work Department. From June 2017, he served as the Political Commissar of the Southern War Zone Air Force.
It’s worth noting that the Rocket Force, which carries out conventional missile target strikes, nuclear strikes, and nuclear counter-strikes in the People’s Liberation Army, requires extensive experience and professionalism. Its establishment has seen three commanders, Wei Fenghe, Zhou Yaning, and Li Yuchao, all promoted from within its predecessor, the Second Artillery Corps, or the Rocket Force itself. Thus, Wang Houbin, with his naval background, is the first commander who was not promoted from within the Rocket Force.
According to earlier reports, the South China Morning Post quoted insiders on July 28 saying that Li Yuchao, Deputy Commander Liu Guangbin, and former Deputy Commander Zhang Zhenzhong, have been taken away by investigators from the Central Military Commission’s anti-corruption body.
The stepping down of former Rocket Force Commander Li Yuchao seems irregular, especially as he only took up his position as Commander of the Rocket Force in January of the previous year and his tenure was quite short. Li Yuchao, currently 61 years old, has also not yet reached retirement age.