China's Central Military Commission (CMC) has appointed Major General Zhang Rucheng to replace Major General Liu Kailiang as political commissar of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

General Yang Deqing, political commissar of the PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command, came to Hong Kong specially to announce the CMC order, Lieutenant Colonel Qin Jijun, spokesman of the PLA Garrison in the HKSAR, said on Tuesday.

The CMC order, signed by CMC Chairman Hu Jintao, appoints Liu as political commissar of the PLA Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Military Area Command.

Yang, accompanied by Lieutenant General Wang Jitang, commander of the PLA HK Garrison, led Liu and Zhang to visit Donald Tsang, chief executive of the HKSAR, on Tuesday, to inform him of the appointment.

Zhang, born in January 1947, joined the PLA in December 1964. Before being appointed Political Commissar of the PLA HK Garrison, Zhang served as political commissar of a group army.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2005)