Southern Theater Command

Chinese military command region

Southern Theater Command
南部战区

Founded	1 February 2016; 8 years ago (2016-02-01)
Country	People's Republic of China
Allegiance	Chinese Communist Party
Type	Theater Command
Role	Command and control
Part of	People's Liberation Army
Headquarters	Guangzhou, Guangdong
Website	Official website
Commanders
Commander	General Wang Xiubin
Political Commisar	General Wang Wenquan
Chief of Staff	General Chen Zhaohai
Insignia
Sleeve insignia

Military unit

Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China

Executive departments
Central Military Commission Ministry of National Defense
Staff
Chairman of the CMC Joint Staff Department of the CMC Political Work Department of the CMC Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CMC
Services
Ground Force Navy Air Force Rocket Force
Arms
Aerospace Force Cyberspace Force Information Support Force Joint Logistics Support Force
Domestic troops
People's Armed Police China Coast Guard Militia Maritime Militia
Special operations force
PLA Special Operations Forces Special Police Unit of the PAP Snow Leopard Commando Unit Mountain Eagle Commando Unit
Military districts
Eastern Theater Command Southern Theater Command Western Theater Command Northern Theater Command Central Theater Command
History of the Chinese military
Military history of China
Military ranks of China
Ranks of the PLA Ground Force Ranks of the PLA Navy Ranks of the PLA Air Force
v t e

The Southern Theater Command (Chinese: 南部战区; pinyin: Nánbù zhànqū) is one of the five theater commands of the People's Liberation Army, founded on 1 February 2016. Its predecessor was the Guangzhou Military Region.

Its jurisdiction includes Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Yunnan, Hainan and the South Sea Fleet, as well as the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau.^[1]^{[better source needed]}

Its commander is General Wang Xiubin^[2] and its political commissar is General Wang Wenquan.^[3]

Area of responsibility

Southern Theater Command's area of responsibility (AOR) includes Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam (Mainland Southeast Asia) and the South China Sea. The command's primary missions are maintaining security in the South China Sea and likely supporting the Eastern Theater Command in any major amphibious operation against Taiwan.^[4]

Organizational structure

The Southern Theater Command consists of the following components:

Southern Theater Command Ground Force
- 74th Group Army
  - 1st Amphibious Combined Arms Brigade
  - 125th Amphibious Combined Arms Brigade
  - 132rd Light Combined Arms Brigade
  - 163rd Light Combined Arms Brigade
  - 154th Medium Combined Arms Brigade
  - 16th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade
  - 74th Special Operations Brigade
  - 74th Army Aviation Brigade
  - 74th Artillery Brigade
  - 74th Air Defense Brigade
  - 74th Engineer and Chemical Defense Brigade
  - 74th Sustainment Brigade
- 75th Group Army
  - 32nd Mountain Combined Arms Brigade
  - 37th Light Combined Arms Brigade
  - 42nd Light Combined Arms Brigade
  - 122nd Medium Combined Arms Brigade
  - 31st Heavy Combined Arms Brigade
  - 123rd Heavy Combined Arms Brigade
  - 121st Air Assault Brigade
  - 75th Special Operation Brigade
  - 75th Artillery Brigade
  - 75th Air Defense Brigade
  - 75th Engineer and Chemical Defense Brigade
  - 75th Sustainment Brigade^{[citation needed]}
Southern Theater Command Navy (South Sea Fleet)
- 2nd Destroyer Detachment
- 9th Destroyer Detachment
- 17th Frigate Detachment
- 18th Frigate Detachment
- 19th Frigate Detachment
- 32nd Submarine Detachment
- 52nd Submarine Detachment
- 6th Landing Ship Detachment
- 3rd Combat Support Ship Detachment
- Danger and Lifesaver Detachment^{[citation needed]}
Southern Theater Command Air Force
- 2nd Independent Regiment
- 2nd Fighter Division
- 8th Bomber Division
- 9th Fighter Division
- 13th Transport Division
- 18th Fighter Division
- 42nd Fighter Division^{[citation needed]}

References

^ "与原七大军区比，五大战区分别管辖哪儿？". news.ifeng.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
^ 郭媛丹 (July 5, 2021). "新任南部战区司令员王秀斌晋升上将军衔". 新浪网 Sina News. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
^ Dang, Yuanyue (December 26, 2023). "China names submariner Hu Zhongming as top PLA Navy commander". South China Morning Post. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
^ Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 7-100.3: Chinese Tactics. Washington D.C.: Headquarters, Department of the Army (United States). 2021. p. 35. ISBN 9798457607118.

People's Liberation Army

General

History
Modernization
Budget
Equipment
Decorations
Generals
Weapons of mass destruction
Information operations and information warfare

Branches

Ground	Structure Equipment Infantry [zh] Armored forces [zh] Artillery [zh] Air defense [zh] Aviation [zh] aircraft Engineers [zh] Chemical defense [zh] Special operations units
Navy	Organization Weaponry History Branches: Surface ships aircraft carriers Submarine Coastal Defense Naval Air aircraft Marine Corps special operations units Fleets: North Sea East Sea South Sea
Air	Aviation aircraft airbases Air Defense Airborne Corps special operations units
Rocket	Missile operation units Rocket Force corps of engineers [zh] Special operations units

Arms

Aerospace	Astronaut Corps astronauts Deep Space Network
Cyberspace	Cyberspace Force Network Systems Department [zh]
Information	Information Support Force
Joint Logistics Support	Wuhan Joint Logistics Support Base [zh]

Structure

Central Military Commission	Chairman Vice-Chairmen General Office Joint Staff Intelligence Bureau Guard Bureau Guard Unit Political Work Logistic Support Equipment Development Manned Space Agency Training and Administration National Defense Mobilization Discipline Inspection Strategic Planning Reform and Organizational Structure International Military Cooperation Audit Office Offices Administration
Theater Commands	Eastern Southern Hong Kong Macau Western Tibet Northern Central
Military regions (defunct)	Shenyang Beijing Lanzhou Jinan Nanjing Guangzhou Chengdu

Ranks

Uniform

Xingkong (camouflage)
Type 07
Type 99 (camouflage)
Type 97 Service Dress

Institutions

Publications

Paramilitary

Contractors

Armed conflicts
- Korean War
Authorized defense products dealer

Structure of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force

PLAGF Headquarters
directly subordinate units

Xinjiang Military District	4th Motorized Infantry Division 6th Mechanized Infantry Division 8th Motorized Infantry Division 11th Motorized Infantry Division 85th Artillery Brigade 85th Air Defense Brigade 85th Special Operations Brigade 85th Army Aviation Brigade 1st Guards Division 3rd Guards Division
Tibet Military District	52nd Combined Arms Brigade 53rd Combined Arms Brigade 54th Combined Arms Brigade 84th Artillery Brigade
Beijing Garrison	1st Guards Division 3rd Guards Division

Eastern Theater Command
Ground Force

71st Group Army	2nd Combined Arms Brigade 35th Combined Arms Brigade 160th Combined Arms Brigade 178th Combined Arms Brigade 179th Combined Arms Brigade 235th Combined Arms Brigade 71st Artillery Brigade 71st Air Defense Brigade 71st Army Aviation Brigade 71st Special Operations Brigade 71st Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 71st Service Support Brigade
72nd Group Army	5th Combined Arms Brigade 10th Combined Arms Brigade 34th Combined Arms Brigade 85th Combined Arms Brigade 90th Combined Arms Brigade 124th Combined Arms Brigade 72nd Artillery Brigade 72nd Air Defense Brigade 72nd Army Aviation Brigade 72nd Special Operations Brigade 72nd Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 72nd Service Support Brigade
73rd Group Army	3rd Combined Arms Brigade 14th Combined Arms Brigade 86th Combined Arms Brigade 91st Combined Arms Brigade 92nd Combined Arms Brigade 145th Combined Arms Brigade 73rd Artillery Brigade 73rd Air Defense Brigade 73rd Army Aviation Brigade 73rd Special Operations Brigade 73rd Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 73rd Service Support Brigade

Southern Theater Command
Ground Force

74th Group Army	1st Combined Arms Brigade 16th Combined Arms Brigade 125th Combined Arms Brigade 132nd Combined Arms Brigade 154th Combined Arms Brigade 163rd Combined Arms Brigade 74th Artillery Brigade 74th Air Defense Brigade 74th Army Aviation Brigade 74th Special Operations Brigade 74th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 74th Service Support Brigade
75th Group Army	31st Combined Arms Brigade 32nd Combined Arms Brigade 37th Combined Arms Brigade 42nd Combined Arms Brigade 122nd Combined Arms Brigade 123rd Combined Arms Brigade 121st Air Assault Brigade 75th Artillery Brigade 75th Air Defense Brigade 75th Special Operations Brigade 75th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 75th Service Support Brigade
Hong Kong Combined Arms Brigade Macau Infantry Battalion

Western Theater Command
Ground Force

76th Group Army	12th Combined Arms Brigade 17th Combined Arms Brigade 56th Combined Arms Brigade 62nd Combined Arms Brigade 149th Combined Arms Brigade 182nd Combined Arms Brigade 76th Artillery Brigade 76th Air Defense Brigade 76th Army Aviation Brigade 76th Special Operations Brigade 76th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 76th Service Support Brigade
77th Group Army	39th Combined Arms Brigade 40th Combined Arms Brigade 55th Combined Arms Brigade 139th Combined Arms Brigade 150th Combined Arms Brigade 181st Combined Arms Brigade 77th Artillery Brigade 77th Air Defense Brigade 77th Army Aviation Brigade 77th Special Operations Brigade 77th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 77th Service Support Brigade

Northern Theater Command
Ground Force

78th Group Army	8th Combined Arms Brigade 48th Combined Arms Brigade 68th Combined Arms Brigade 115th Combined Arms Brigade 202nd Combined Arms Brigade 204rd Combined Arms Brigade 78th Artillery Brigade 78th Air Defense Brigade 78th Army Aviation Brigade 78th Special Operations Brigade 78th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 78th Service Support Brigade
79th Group Army	46th Combined Arms Brigade 116th Combined Arms Brigade 119th Combined Arms Brigade 190th Combined Arms Brigade 191st Combined Arms Brigade 200th Combined Arms Brigade 79th Artillery Brigade 79th Air Defense Brigade 79th Army Aviation Brigade 79th Special Operations Brigade 79th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 79th Service Support Brigade
80th Group Army	47th Combined Arms Brigade 69th Combined Arms Brigade 118th Combined Arms Brigade 138th Combined Arms Brigade 199th Combined Arms Brigade 203rd Combined Arms Brigade 80th Artillery Brigade 80th Air Defense Brigade 80th Army Aviation Brigade 80th Special Operations Brigade 80th Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 80th Service Support Brigade

Central Theater Command
Ground Force

81st Group Army	7th Combined Arms Brigade 70th Combined Arms Brigade 162nd Combined Arms Brigade 189th Combined Arms Brigade 194th Combined Arms Brigade 195th Combined Arms Brigade 81st Artillery Brigade 81st Air Defense Brigade 81st Army Aviation Brigade 81st Special Operations Brigade 81st Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 81st Service Support Brigade
82nd Group Army	6th Combined Arms Brigade 80th Combined Arms Brigade 112th Combined Arms Brigade 127th Combined Arms Brigade 151st Combined Arms Brigade 188th Combined Arms Brigade 196th Combined Arms Brigade 82nd Artillery Brigade 82nd Air Defense Brigade 82nd Army Aviation Brigade 82nd Special Operations Brigade 82nd Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 82nd Service Support Brigade
83rd Group Army	11th Combined Arms Brigade 58th Combined Arms Brigade 60th Combined Arms Brigade 113th Combined Arms Brigade 131st Combined Arms Brigade 193rd Combined Arms Brigade 83rd Artillery Brigade 83rd Air Defense Brigade 161st Air Assault Brigade 83rd Special Operations Brigade 83rd Engineer-NBC Defense Brigade 83rd Service Support Brigade