Last Friday, China appointed a naval commander with the experience of the South China Sea as the Minister of Defense, filling the vacancies for several months caused by the disappearance of unknown missions due to the former National Defense Minister.It seems to be a survey of possible corruption or other improper behaviors.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, after the approval of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Dong Jun, commander of the Navy, was appointed as the Minister of Defense.Earlier last week, there were rumors that General Dong Jun of the Navy was appointed as Minister of Defense because another Navy general had replaced his navy commander position.

After the former Minister of Defense Minister Li Shangfu and the two senior commanders of the Rocket Army of the Chinese Nuclear Bomb Force, the whereabouts were unknown and were removed from office, and the uncertainty surrounding the senior officials of the Chinese army continued to ferment.The uncertainty calmed down.

Before late October last year was removed from the post of Minister of Defense, Li Shangfu had not appeared publicly for nearly two months.Although the Chinese government has not explained his dismissal so far, many experts believe that he may be involved in investigations about corruption or other improper behaviors, which has also led to the steps of the Rocket Army commander.

In the Chinese military -level system, the Minister of Defense is not the most powerful position.Its role is more like the chief foreign liaison officer of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. He meets with the military delegation of visiting and explains China's views on the international defense forums such as the Shangri -La dialogue in Singapore.

The People's Liberation Army is controlled by the Central Military Commission. Dong Jun, who was in his early 60s, was not a member of the Central Military Commission.But at the future leadership meeting, he may enter the Central Military Commission.

"The Minister of Defense in the Chinese government system is not a decision maker or a commander who mobilizes military or resources," said Drew Thompson, a senior visiting scholar at the Lineyang Public Policy College of Singapore, said that he was the Pentagon and the Chinese Army and the Chinese ArmyOfficials dealing with Fang.

"This makes the Chinese Defense Minister is not the best candidate to talk to the US Minister of Defense," Tang Anzhu said."But the Minister of Defense of China is the main channel for contact with the Central Military Commission. The Central Military Commission is a place to make a decision."

One of the most important and difficult tasks facing Dong Jun may be to deal with dialogue with the US military.Beijing and Washington are in a tension on the Taiwan, South China Sea and other issues. The Pentagon has accused the PLA of taking increasingly dangerous operations on American aircraft flying near China near China.

At a summit last November, Beijing and the US President Bynden agreed to restart the dialogue between the two countries.The Chinese government stopped dialogue between the two armies in 2022 and protested with the then Speaker of the US House of Representatives Pelosi to visit Taiwan. China claims to have sovereignty over this democratic governance island.Earlier last month, the two sides resumed military communication.China adheres to the dialogue of the US -China Defense Ministers, but the Pentagon hopes to represent a higher commander on behalf of China.

One of the most unstable issues facing the Chinese army, Dong Jun may claim that he has some experience.He has served as the deputy commander of the southern theater of China. The southern theater includes the South China Sea, which has a long -term territorial dispute in China and Southeast Asian countries. Southeast Asian countries have also claimed that they have sovereignty over the islands and waters of the South China Sea.Dong Jun was the first Chinese defense minister with a naval background.

"This is good for disadvantages, because it means how he knows how to operate in the system," Tang Anzhu said, "but he is more politicians, not a soldier."