South Sea Fleet

Southern Theater Command Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy's jack and ensign
Active	1955–present
Country	China
Allegiance	Chinese Communist Party
Branch	People's Liberation Army Navy
Type	Naval fleet
Part of	Southern Theater Command
Garrison/HQ	Zhanjiang, China
Engagements	Battle of the Paracel Islands Piracy off the coast of Somalia
Commanders
Commander	Admiral Ju Xinchun
Political Commissar	Admiral Yang Zhiliang

The Southern Theater Command Navy (STCN), or the South Sea Fleet (SSF) until 2018, ^[1] is a formation of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the naval component of the Southern Theater Command. ^[2]

History

In December 1949, the Fourth Field Army transferred personnel from the 15th Army to create the Guangdong Military Region Riverine Defense Command. ^[3] The Riverine Defense Command commanded the Wanshan Archipelago Campaign in May to August 1950 ^[4] and was the "nucleus" of the South Central China Military Region Navy created by the Fourth Field Army in December 1950. The military region's navy became the PLAN's South Sea Fleet in 1955. ^[5]

The SSF won the Battle of the Paracel Islands against South Vietnam in 1974. ^{[6] [7]} China's first anti-piracy patrol to Somalia deployed from the SSF in December 2008. ^[8]

Components

STCN headquarters is at Zhanjiang, with bases in Sanya and Guangzhou. ^[9] The bases at Sanya include Yulin Naval Base and Longpo Naval Base, the latter for submarines. ^[10] It controls coastal defenses west from to Dongshan County and in the South China Sea. ^[9]

In 2016, subunits included:

• 2nd Destroyer Zhidui ^{[note 1] [12]}
• 9th Destroyer Zhidui ^[12]
• 11th Fastboat Dadui ^{[note 2] [12]}
• Unidentified Fastboat Zhidui ^[12]
• Operations Support Ship Zhidui ^[12]
• 8th Air Division ^[12]
• 9th Air Division ^[12]
• 1st Marine Brigade ^[12]
• 164th Marine Brigade ^[12]

• China portal

Notes

1. Zhidui is a division leader grade organization variously translated as "flotilla", "naval ship brigade", or "detachment". ^[11]
2. Dadui is a regiment leader grade organization in the PLAN sometimes translated as "squadron". ^[11]

References

Citations

1. Erickson, Andrew S. (April 11, 2024). Admiral Wang Renhua: Exemplifying Jointness and Oversight for China's Navy amid Xi’s Grade-and-Rank Reforms (Report). China Maritime Studies Institute. p. 9.
2. Saunders et al. 2019, pp. 240–241.
3. Yoshihara 2022, p. 54.
4. Yoshihara 2022, p. 105.
5. Yoshihara 2022, p. 55.
6. Yoshihara 2016, p. 7.
7. Yoshihara 2016, p. 9.
8. Erickson, Andrew S.; Mikolay, Justin D. (March 2009). "Welcome China to the Fight Against Pirates". Proceedings. Vol. 135, no. 3. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
9. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2024, p. 261.
10. Babiarz, Renny (July 21, 2017). "China's Nuclear Submarine Force". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
11. Pollpeter & Allen 2012, p. 52.
12. Wood, Peter (June 22, 2016). "Snapshot: China's Southern Theater Command". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved May 31, 2024.

Sources

• The International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 13, 2024). The Military Balance 2024. London: Routledge. ISBN   978-1-032-78004-7.
• Pollpeter, Kevin; Allen, Kenneth W., eds. (June 14, 2012). The PLA as Organization v2.0 (Report). China Aerospace Studies Institute.
• Saunders, Phillip C.; Ding, Arthur S.; Scobell, Andrew; Yang, Andrew N.D.; Joel, Wuthnow, eds. (2019). Chairman Xi Remakes the PLA: Assessing Chinese Military Reforms. Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press. ISBN   978-1070233420.
• Yoshihara, Toshi (2016). "The 1974 Paracels Sea Battle: A Campaign Appraisal". Naval War College Review. 69 (2). U.S. Naval War College.
• Yoshihara, Toshi (2022). Mao's Army Goes To Sea: The Island Campaigns and the Founding of China's Navy. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. ISBN   9781647122829.