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

Lieutenant General Zhang Qinsheng, commander of the PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command, General Yang Deqing, political commissar of the PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command, came to Hong Kong specially to announce the CMC order, Colonel Cheng Dongfang, spokesman of the PLA Garrison in the HKSAR, said Wednesday.

The CMC order signed by CMC Chairman Hu Jintao appoints Zhang as deputy political commissar of the PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command.

Zhang, Liu, and Lieutenant General Wang Jitang, commander of the PLA HK Garrison, visited Donald Tsang, chief executive of the HKSAR, Wednesday, to inform him of the appointment.

Liu, born in June 1949, joined the PLA in 1969. Before appointed Political Commissar of the PLA HK Garrison, Liu served as political commissar of the PLA Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Military Area Command.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2007)