Beijing - China reshuffled its top military ranks, with Fang Fenghui promoted to Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), according to the website of the Ministry of National Defense.

Fang Fenghui previously worked as the commander of the Beijing Military Area Command.

The General Political Department, General Logistics Department and General Armaments Department of the PLA also announced their top leadership changes weeks before the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Background

The PLA's general headquarters/departments system is composed of the General Staff Headquarters, the General Political Department, the General Logistics Department and the General Armaments Department, which are placed under the leadership of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

The CMC, through these four general headquar-ters/departments, directs and commands all the military area commands and the services and arms. The routine work of the Ministry of National Defense is handled, respectively, by these four general headquarters/departments.

The General Staff Headquarters is the leading organ of all military work of the nation's armed forces. It organizes and leads the military construction of the nation's armed forces, and organizes and commands their military operations. Under it there are departments in charge of operations, intelligence, training, adjutant and force structure, mobilization, etc.

The General Political Department is the leading organ of all political work of the nation's armed forces. It administers the armed forces' Party work, and organizes their political work. Under it there are departments in charge of Party affairs, personnel, publicity, security, etc.

The General Logistics Department organizes and directs the armed forces' logistics construction and logistical support. Under it there are departments in charge of financial affairs, quartermaster, health administration, military transportation, materials and POLs, capital construction and barracks, auditing, etc.

The General Armaments Department organizes and directs the weaponry and equipment construction work of the armed forces.

(Source:eng.mod.gov.cn)