Dong Jun facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Admiral Dong Jun
董军
Dong in 2024
14th Minister of National Defense
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 December 2023
Premier	Li Qiang
CMC Chairman	Xi Jinping
Preceded by	Li Shangfu
9th Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy
In office September 2021 – December 2023
Preceded by	Shen Jinlong
Succeeded by	Hu Zhongming
Personal details
Born	1961 (age 63–64) Yantai, Shandong, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party
Alma mater	Dalian Naval Academy
Military service
Allegiance	People's Republic of China
Branch	People's Liberation Army Navy
Service years	1979–present
Rank	Admiral
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	董军
Traditional Chinese	董軍
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Dǒng Jūn

Dong Jun (born in 1961) is a top military leader in China. He is an admiral in the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which is China's navy. Since December 2023, he has served as the Minister of National Defense. This important role means he helps lead China's military forces. Before this, he was the Commander of the PLAN from 2021 to 2023. He is the first defense minister to come from the Navy.

Early Life and Military Career

Dong Jun began his military journey in 1978 when he joined the Dalian Naval Academy. After finishing his studies, he officially started serving in the PLAN in 1979. Over the years, he held many different positions. These included being in charge of military training for the Navy and serving as a deputy chief of staff for the North Sea Fleet.

Rising Through the Ranks

Dong Jun continued to advance in his career. In 2013, he became a deputy commander of the East Sea Fleet. He then served as a deputy chief of staff for the PLAN in 2014. By 2017, he was a deputy commander in the Southern Theater Command. In 2021, he became the deputy commander of the PLAN, and soon after, its commander.

He also received several promotions in rank. In 2012, he became a rear admiral. He was promoted to vice admiral in 2018. Finally, in September 2021, he reached the highest rank of admiral.

Becoming Minister of National Defense

On December 29, 2023, Dong Jun was appointed as China's Minister of National Defense. This was a significant event because he was the first person from the Navy to hold this position. His appointment was seen as a big surprise by some experts.

As Minister of National Defense, Dong Jun represents China's military on the global stage. He meets with defense leaders from other countries to discuss important issues.

International Meetings and Diplomacy

Dong Jun has been active in international diplomacy since becoming minister.

Dong meeting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Almaty, Kazakhstan (2024)

In January 2024, he had his first international meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. They talked about strengthening military cooperation between China and Russia. Dong Jun also met with his Vietnamese counterpart in April 2024 to set up an emergency hotline between their militaries. He attended a meeting of defense ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Kazakhstan in April 2024.

Dong with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, 31 May 2024

In May 2024, Dong Jun met with United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in Singapore. This was an important meeting to restart military talks between China and the United States. They discussed various topics, including military exercises near Taiwan and China's support for Russia.

At the same forum, Dong Jun gave a speech about China's views on Taiwan. He emphasized China's goal of "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan. He also warned against actions that might support Taiwan's independence. He also spoke about the disputed reefs in the South China Sea. He stated that China has shown restraint but that there are "limits" to this.

In October 2024, Dong Jun met with Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov in Beijing. They discussed deepening military cooperation between their countries. In November 2024, he held talks with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Laos. They discussed preventing future border clashes and maintaining peace along the India-China border.

See also

In Spanish: Dong Jun para niños