"Admiral Hu to the Helm" - by CWP alum Andrew S. Erickson

China’s Navy, the world’s largest by number of ships, has a new leader. On 25 December 2023, Commander-in-Chief Xi Jinping, in his capacity as Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman, promoted Vice Admiral Hu Zhongming (胡中明) to Admiral and appointed him Commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) (海军司令员). 2 Hu’s predecessor Admiral Dong Jun (董军) attended the promotion ceremony, suggesting this is an orderly and expected transition—unlike recent removals of the PLA Defense Minister and the former Commander of China’s Strategic Rocket Forces.

CMSI NOTE #1 /// 27 DECEMBER 2023 1 Admiral Hu to the Helm: China’s New Navy Commander Brings Operational Expertise Captain Christopher Sharman, USN (Ret.) and Dr. Andrew S. Erickson1 - https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=cmsi-notes

Dr. Andrew S. Erickson (艾立信) is a professor of strategy and the research director in the Naval War College (NWC)’s China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI). A core founding member, he helped establish CMSI and stand it up officially in 2006, and has played an integral role in its development. CMSI inspired the creation of other research centers, which he has advised and supported; he is a China Aerospace Studies Institute associate. Since 2008 he has been an associate in research at Harvard’s Fairbank Center. Erickson has taught courses at NWC and Yonsei University, advises NWC student research and curricula, and supports NWC’s scholarly research relationship with Japanese counterparts.

Photo Credit: