China names Hu Zhongming as new naval chief amid growing maritime confrontations

Amid worsening tensions in the South China Sea, China on Monday named Hu Zhongming as the new head of its navy. According to a Bloomberg report, citing Xinhua News Agency, Hu was promoted to the rank of general at a ceremony in Beijing attended by President Xi Jinping. The report cited Xinhua News Agency claiming that it was the first time Hu was publicly referred to as commander of the world’s largest navy by number of vessels. Hu previously served as the navy’s chief of staff and commanded a submarine. He gained recognition in 2002 for his role in a celebrated mission where a Chinese destroyer circumnavigated the globe in four months. According to the report, Xinhua, however, failed to shed light on the future plans of Dong Jun, who assumed the role of head of the navy in 2021 and was also present at the ceremony, as seen in a Xinhua photo. This change in leadership coincides with China asserting its dominance in the South China Sea, a region claimed by Beijing, as well as in the Taiwan Strait. Tensions escalated last week when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed to Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo that the bilateral relations between the two nations are currently encountering “serious difficulties” due to maritime confrontations. The focal point of the dispute has shifted to the Second Thomas Shoal, where vessels from China and the Philippines have engaged in standoffs over the Philippines’ attempts to resupply a grounded vessel there since 1999. These incidents prompted both American and Philippine officials to reaffirm a treaty obliging Washington to come to Manila’s defence in the event of an armed attack. The Chinese military has conducted significant military drills around Taiwan twice since August 2022, particularly in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s meetings with senior US lawmakers. These exercises, featuring the Chinese navy practicing blockades, align with President Xi’s commitment to eventually bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control, even if force is required. Xinhua also disclosed that Wang Wenquan has assumed the position of the new political commissar of the Southern Theater Command, overseeing Chinese military activities in the South China Sea, and has been promoted to the rank of general. In a separate development, the state-run Global Times commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Chinese navy’s involvement in protecting ships from pirates in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. The Xinhua article underscored China’s ambition for its navy to play a more active role globally, referencing missions in Libya, Yemen, and Sudan, according to Bloomberg report. This emphasis on global naval presence has drawn attention, particularly from the United States, which recently called for more information about a Chinese naval base in Cambodia following a rare visit by Chinese warships. Washington has long been concerned about Beijing’s potential establishment of a military facility in the Southeast Asian nation, providing enhanced access to the Malacca Strait and the Indian Ocean. With inputs from agencies