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Guangzhou Military Region

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Guangzhou Military Region
Guangzhou Military Region (highlighted)
Simplified Chinese广州军区
Traditional Chinese廣州軍區
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuǎngzhōu Jūnqū
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationGwóngjāu Gwānkēui
JyutpingGwong2zau1 Gwan1keoi1

The Guangzhou Military Region was from 1955 to 2016 one of the People's Liberation Army PLA Military Regions, 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 region was disestablished in 2016 and reorganised as the Southern Theater Command.

Just before being disbanded, the Guangzhou MR controlled the Guangdong Province, Guangxi Autonomous Region, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, and the Hainan Province Military Districts. The Hong Kong and Macau garrisons were within the Guangzhou MR area but reported directly to the Central Military Commission.

There were two Group Armies within the Region, the 41st Group Army and 42nd Group Army, and in 2006 the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the region had some 180,000 personnel, 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 had been identified as Rapid Reaction Units.[3] The Hong Kong garrison includes a brigade with a helicopter unit.

The PLA's 15th Airborne Corps was also located in this MR though not under its command.

List of commanders

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Huang Yongsheng
Xu Shiyou

Ground Forces

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The Main Guangzhou Hospital in the Guangzhou Military Region
The Main Wuhan Hospital in the Guangzhou Military Region
A Sergeant in Guangzhou MR, in canteen in Chaozhou Vocational Technical School

Air Force

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Commander:Lt. Gen. Han Ruijie Political Officer: Lt. Gen. Wang Jilian Deputy Commander:Maj. Gen. Zhang Shutian

In June 1962, the second Shantou Command Post became the 7th Air Corps. After a move to Xingning in Guangdong Province, it moved to Nanning, Guangxi Autonomous Region, in August 1964.[4]

The 48th Aviation Division was active, initially under the 12th Air Corps, from 1971 to 1992.

Nickname

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Organizations affiliated with the Guangzhou Military Region often used the nickname "warrior" (Chinese: 战士; pinyin: zhànshì; lit. 'battle person'), including the Warrior Performance Troupe (Chinese: 战士文工团) and the Warrior Newspaper (Chinese: 战士报).

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Xinhui, Guangzhou Military Region Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine, China Defence, accessed November 2008
  2. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2006
  3. ^ "PLA Rapid Reaction Units - SinoDefence.com". Archived from the original on 2008-10-24. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
  4. ^ Appendix G, "Origins of PLAAF MRAFs, Air Corps, Command Posts, Bases, Air Divisions, and Independent Regiments," Ken Allen, Chapter 9, "PLA Air Force Organization", The PLA as Organization, ed. James C. Mulvenon and Andrew N.D. Yang (Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2002), 445.

Sources

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  • Chapter 8, PLA Ground Forces, by Dennis J Blasko, in The People's Liberation Army as Organisation, RAND, CF182