Western Theater Command
The Western Theater Command (simplified Chinese: 西部战区; traditional Chinese: 西部戰區; pinyin: Xībù zhànqū) is one of the five theater commands of the People's Liberation Army, founded on 1 February 2016.
| Western Theater Command | |
|---|---|
| 西部战区 | |
| Founded | 1 February 2016 |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Allegiance | Chinese Communist Party |
| Type | Theater Command |
| Role | Command and control |
| Part of | People's Liberation Army |
| Headquarters | Chengdu, Sichuan |
| Website | Official website (in English) |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | General Wang Haijiang |
| Political Commisar | General Li Fengbiao |
| Chief of Staff | General Zhang Jian |
| Insignia | |
| Sleeve insignia | |
| Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China |
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| Executive departments |
| Staff |
| Services |
| Independent troops |
| Special operations force |
| Other troops |
| Military districts |
| History of the Chinese military |
| Military ranks of China |
Its jurisdiction includes Sichuan, Tibet, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Chongqing. Guizhou is also sometimes listed as part of the command. Its current commander since August 2021 is General Wang Haijiang. Its current political commissar is General Li Fengbiao.
In May 2016, the PRC raised the rank and status of its western Tibet Military Command to widen its scope for missions and combat preparedness, in a move analysts in Beijing said was aimed in part at fortifying the border with India. The Xinjiang Military Command may also be elevated in the future, the report said. Both commands are under the newly created Western Theater Command, the largest of five newly reorganised military regions of the PLA. The Chinese Communist Party-run tabloid Global Times reported the change would allow the command “to shoulder more combat assignments”.
In 2012 the 109th Aviation Regiment was reorganised as a brigade reporting to the PLAAF's Urumqi Base. It now flies the Shenyang J-11 fighter.