China recently appointed former navy chief Adm. Dong Jun as its new defense minister, replacing Adm. Li Shangfu, who was sacked in October after disappearing from public view for two months without an official explanation.
This appointment makes Adm. Dong, 62, the 14th defense minister of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the first time a naval admiral has served as defense minister. He is also the shortest-serving maritime commander in the history of the CCP.
A ‘Rule-Breaking’ Promotion
Adm. Dong’s credentials are not outstanding among the CCP admirals.According to naval practice, it is highly improbable to ascend to the post of navy commander without possessing the qualifications of a captain.
Following CCP leader Xi Jinping’s so-called military reforms, which flattened the command structure and allowed the CCP to have more control over the military, Adm. Dong was promoted as the third commander of the navy from September 2021 to December 2023 with Adm. Wu Shengli and Adm. Shen Jinlong as his predecessors. According to public records, Mr. Wu had served as a captain on several warships, while Adm. Shen had served as a branch commander of a destroyer and is the former dean of both the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Dalian Naval Academy and the Naval Command College.
In contrast, Adm. Dong had primarily worked in an office setting and had never held the rank of naval captain or skipper, lacking real combat experience, according to various sources.
In 2012, he was deployed to a basic combat unit and promoted to rear admiral. The following year, he became deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet and was appointed deputy chief of naval staff a year later.
Yao Cheng, a former lieutenant colonel in the CCP’s navy command, told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times in an interview that when Adm. Dong was assigned to a grassroots military unit in 2012, it was an opportunity for him to be promoted, and that he then returned to the navy command within a short time.
No Experience in Naval Battle
Some analysts claimed that Beijing appointed Adm. Dong as head of national defense because his naval experience could be used in carrying out the CCP’s plans regarding the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.Mr. Yao disagreed with this perspective. The veteran claimed that despite Adm. Dong being a Naval Academy graduate, he had never served on a ship or been to sea; he consistently worked in bureaucratic roles. Mr. Yao said Mr. Dong’s background would not be advantageous if the CCP initiated a conflict with Taiwan.
Mr. Yao had worked with Adm. Dong when Dong was a staff officer in the navy’s training department.
The veteran described Adm. Dong as an easygoing person who appeared to be in good spirits, well-mannered, and got along with everyone, particularly the leadership.
According to Mr. Yao, several high-ranking officers in the navy, including Adm. Dong, are from Shandong Province and have a strong attachment to their hometown and the local people.
Mr. Yao said that one-third of the personnel in the navy command are allegedly not engaged in actual work.
“This is how the CCP’s current military system operates, where individuals who are idle are promoted because they avoid making mistakes by not working,” he said.
“Upon reaching the rank of military officer or higher, promotion is not based on competence but political credibility. Those who avoid trouble are promoted gradually. Individuals with experience leading troops and engaging in battles are not considered for major roles.”
Mr. Yao pointed out that Adm. Dong meets the Xi administration’s most important criteria for appointing individuals—absolute loyalty, obedience, and no secret political affiliations.
Tough Road Ahead for New Defense Minister
Prior to Adm. Dong’s appointment, the CCP usually picked its defense ministers from the ranks of army generals. Consequently, the former naval chief’s unprecedented elevation to defense minister has drawn scrutiny.Gen. Liu is a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of staff of the general staff department. He is the youngest active general in the CCP military with real-world experience. Having fought in a war against Vietnam from 1986 to 1987, he and Gen. Zhang Youxia, the first-ranked vice chairman of CMC, developed a relationship as comrades-in-arms as well as subordinate and superior.
Following Adm. Li’s dismissal, Xi took almost two months before appointing Adm. Dong, who was not yet a member of the CMC.
Moreover, on the same day the CCP’s central authorities formally announced Adm. Dong’s appointment, they expelled nine military generals, three of whom were Gen. Zhang’s former subordinates.
U.S.-based China expert Chen Pokong believes these two moves convey to the international community that Xi no longer trusted Gen. Zhang.
“Xi Jinping must have deliberately avoided promoting Liu Zhenli,” Mr. Chen said. “Although Zhang Youxia still holds power, the fact that at least three of the nine generals removed from the National People’s Congress [China’s rubber-stamp legislature] are associated with him suggests that his relationship with Xi is tense.”
According to Mr. Chen, Adm. Dong will face challenges. The expert pointed out that Adm. Dong and the CCP’s former foreign minister, Qin Gang, share similarities, such as being promoted multiple times within a short timeframe. Like Mr. Qin, Adm. Dong would likely encounter jealousy and may not be accepted and supported by his subordinates, the expert said.
“As defense minister, Dong Jun is merely a symbolic figure because the post cannot remain vacant. At most, his main role will involve holding dialogues with the United States and relaying messages in the military according to Xi’s instructions. If something bad happens to Dong in the future, the CCP military will rejoice in his misery,” Mr. Chen said.
