Guangzhou Military Region
| Guangzhou Military Region | |||||||||||||
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Guangzhou Military Region (highlighted) | |||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 广州军区 | ||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 廣州軍區 | ||||||||||||
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The Guangzhou Military Region is one of seven military administrative regions and is located in the south of the People's Republic of China. In May 1949, the Central China (Hua Zhong) Military Region (MR) was formed.[1] In March 1955, it was divided into two, the Guangzhou MR and the Wuhan Military Region. When the Wuhan MR was disbanded in August 1985, its troops stationed around the Hubei province were assigned to the Guangzhou MR.
The Guangzhou MR now covers Guangdong Province, Guangxi Autonomous Region, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, Hainan Province, Hong Kong, and Macau Military Districts. The Hong Kong and Macau garrisons are within the Guangzhou MR area but report directly to the Central Military Commission.
There are two Group Armies within the Region, the 41st Group Army and 42nd Group Army, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies attributes the formation with some 180,000 personnel, with one mechanised division, three motorised infantry divisions, one artillery division, two armoured brigades, one artillery brigade, and two anti-aircraft brigades.[2] The 123rd (Amphibious) Infantry Division (53023) at Guigang/Guangxi and 124th Infantry Divisions at Boluo, Guangdong have been identified as Rapid Reaction Units.[3] The Hong Kong garrison includes a brigade with a helicopter unit.
The PLA's 15th Airborne Corps is also located in this MR though not under its command.
List of commanders
- Huang Yongsheng, 1955−68
- Li Tianyou
- Ding Sheng
- Xu Shiyou, 1973−80
- Wu Kehua, 1980−82
- You Taizhong, 1982−87
- Zhang Wannian
- Liu Cunzhi
- Zhu Dunfa
- Li Xilin
- Tao Bojun
- Liu Zhenwu
- Zhang Qinsheng, 2007−09
- Xu Fenlin, 2009−present
Ground Forces
- 41st Group Army (Command Center:Liuzhou) consists of 2 divisions and 3 brigades
- 42nd Group Army (Command Center:Huizhou) consists of 2 divisions and 4 brigades
- 124th Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division (Boluo)
- 163rd Mechanized Infantry Division(Chaozhou)
- Anti-Aircraft Brigade (Jieyang)
- Special Operation Battalion(Guangzhou)
- Electronic Warfare Regiment(Huadu)
- 6th Regiment of the Army Aviation(Sanshui)
- Engineering Regiment(Huizhou)
- Anti-Chemical Warfare Regiment(Shenzhen)
- Driver and Medic Training Battalion(Dongguan)
- Training Regiment(Huizhou)
Air Force
Commander:Lt. Gen. Han Ruijie Political Officer: Lt. Gen. Wang Jilian Deputy Commander:Maj. Gen. Zhang Shutian
- 7th Corps of the Air Force
- Air Force in Wuhan Base
Nickname
Organizations affiliated with the Guangzhou Military Region often use the nickname "warrior" (Chinese: 战士; pinyin: zhànshì; literally: "battle person"), including the Warrior Performance Troupe (Chinese: 战士文工团) and the Warrior Newspaper (Chinese: 战士报).
References
- ↑ Xinhui, Guangzhou Military Region, China Defence, accessed November 2008
- ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2006
- ↑ http://www.sinodefence.com/armedforces/army/rru.asp
Sources
- Chapter 8, PLA Ground Forces, by Dennis J Blasko, in The People's Liberation Army as Organisation, RAND, CF182
