Former commander of Hong Kong’s PLA garrison gets new role – but unlike his predecessors won’t be promoted
- Tan Benhong appointed as inspector of Southern Theatre Command – a role described as having little real power – and will remain a lieutenant general
- Military sources say that Chinese military is ‘readjusting’ the status of the garrison to bring it into line with the rest of the armed forces
The former commander of the People’s Liberation Army garrison in Hong Kong has been appointed as an inspector of the Southern Theatre Command – but unlike his predecessors he has not been promoted, according to a Chinese military source.
In April the official news agency Xinhua reported that Tan Benhong has been replaced by Chen Daoxiang, but did not say what his next posting would be.
While previous garrison commanders continued to rise after leaving Hong Kong, the military source said Tan would remain a lieutenant general and “will only keep his ranking as a regional deputy commander”.
The source, who met Tan recently, described him as being “in low spirits because he did not get the promotion he had expected”.
Other military sources have said that Tan’s new job carries little real power, and also predicted that his successor, formerly deputy chief of staff with the Southern Theatre Command, was similarly unlikely to be promoted.