New Chief of People's Armed Police Exemplifies Rise of "Fukinese Mafia" Under Xi

Xi Jinping visits the 31st Army Group in Xiamen, Fujian, part of the Nanjing Military Region, July 31. (Photo/Xinhua)

General Liu Xiaojiang, Miao Hua’s predecessor, had worked in the PLA Navy for more than two decades. He began his career in the PLA Navy as secretary of General Liu Huaqing in 1980 but later was transferred to the General Political Department. He came back to the PLA Navy as deputy director of the Political Department in 1998 and was appointed political commissar of the PLA Navy 10 years later. Miao Hua, on the other hand, had never worked in the PLA Navy until December 2014 when he was appointed its political commissar. 

Second, both Wang Ning and Miao Hua have worked in the 31st Army before. Wang Ning was commander of the 31st Army from November 2007 to December 2010, and Miao Hua spent 36 years in the 31st Army, including a stint of six years as director of its Political Department. 

One may also find other generals from the 31st Army among the leadership of the PLA. Those include General Zhao Keshi, a member of the Central Military Commission and director of the General Logistics Department; General Wu Changde, deputy director of the General Political Department; and General Cai Yingting, commander of the Nanjing Military Region. It is probably by coincidence that the 31st Army is stationed in Fujian Province where Chairman Xi Jinping of the Central Military Commission worked for 17.5 years. 

(Diplomat)