Leadership Changes in China’s Eastern Command Signal Growing Focus on Taiwan

China’s Eastern Theater Command has seen significant personnel changes and stepped-up activity in recent months, an indicator of Beijing’s intentions with regard to Taiwan.

Soldiers disembark from AAV7 amphibious assault vehicles during the Han Kuang military exercise, simulating a PLA invasion of the island, in Pingtung, Taiwan, on July 28, 2022. Annabelle Chih/Getty Images

China’s strategically significant Eastern Theater Command has recently seen a series of notable leadership changes. The area is a potential launch point for actions against Taiwan. Reports from Japanese sources, corroborated by aerial imagery and expert opinions, suggest that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has ramped up preparations related to the island nation in the past year.

On Aug. 3, a report from China’s Nanjing Television highlighted a visit by officials from Nanjing, where the Eastern Theater Command is headquartered, to several key military establishments. The visit saw the participation of high-level military and local authorities, such as Gen. Lin Xiangyang, commander of the Eastern Theater Command, and Adm. Liu Qingsong, its political commissar, among others.