Gao Jin

Gao Jin (Chinese: 高津; born April 1959) is a general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Since April 2019 he has served as Director of the Logistic Support Department of the Central Military Commission. Prior to that, he served as the inaugural commander of the PLA Strategic Support Force from 2016 to 2019, President of the PLA Academy of Military Science, and Chief of Staff of the Second Artillery Corps, where he spent most of his career.

General Gao Jin
高津
Director of the CMC Logistic Support Department
Incumbent
Assumed office April 2019
Preceded by	Song Puxuan
Commander of the PLA Strategic Support Force
In office January 2016 – April 2019
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	Li Fengbiao
President of the PLA Academy of Military Science
In office December 2014 – January 2016
Preceded by	Liu Chengjun
Succeeded by	Cai Yingting
Chief of Staff of the Second Artillery Corps
In office December 2011 – July 2014
Preceded by	Lu Fu'en
Succeeded by	Lu Fu'en
Personal details
Born	April 1959 (age 61) Jingjiang, Jiangsu, China
Political party	Communist Party of China
Alma mater	Second Artillery Command College
Military service
Allegiance	China
Branch/service	PLA Rocket Force PLA Strategic Support Force
Years of service	1978 − present
Rank	General
Commands	PLA Strategic Support Force PLA Academy of Military Science

Biography

Gao Jin was born in April 1959 in Jingjiang, Jiangsu Province, to parents who were both PLA soldiers. He joined the PLA in 1978 without telling his family, and spent most of his career in the Second Artillery Corps, China's strategic missile force.[1][2]

Gao entered the Second Artillery Command College in 1985, and graduated with a master's degree in engineering.[1] Reportedly a battalion commander of the 815th Brigade, of what was, at that time, the PLA's Second Artillery Corps. This unit was reportedly involved in the firing of DF-15 ballistic missiles in the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis and would become this unit's commander in 1997. He then rose through the ranks of the Second Artillery Corps, becoming deputy chief of staff of what was then Base 52 (now Base 61 of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force) in 2001, chief of staff of Base 52 in 2007 and overall commander in 2009, eventually becoming chief of staff of the Second Artillery Corps in December 2011.[1][3] In 2012, he was elected an alternate member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (2012–2017). He was made a lieutenant general (zhong jiang) in July 2013.[1][2]

He was promoted twice in 2014, first to assistant chief of the PLA General Staff Department in July, and on December 22, he became President of the PLA Academy of Military Science,[4] the PLA's top research institute, enjoying the same rank as the commanders of the PLA's seven military regions.[1] At age 55, he became the youngest regional chief-level commander of the PLA. He succeeded General Liu Chengjun, who had reached retirement age.[1] On December 31, 2015, as part of wide-ranging reforms of the People's Liberation Army, Gao was named first commander of the PLA Strategic Support Force. On July 28, 2017, Gao was promoted to the rank of General.[5]

Gao has published many academic articles, and has won technological and military awards. The Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily has praised him as a "technologically powerful military leader."[1]

References

1. "Gao Jin becomes PLA's youngest military region-level chief". China Times. 25 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
2. "Gao Jin" (in Chinese). Phoenix News Media. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
3. Burton, Rachel (25 September 2018). "The People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force: Leadership and Structure" (PDF). Project 2049 Institute.
4. "Military announces a major reshuffling". China Daily. 5 January 2015.
5. "中部战区司令员韩卫国等5人晋升为上将". Ifeng (in Chinese). 2017-07-28.