Promotion ceremonies like this one publicly acknowledge officers' ranks and duty billets, but do not announce their grades, which can nonetheless be discerned by a ribbon worn on their uniforms.' One of the newly minted generals was Wang Haijiang, Commander of the Western Theater Command. Every officer also is assigned to an organizational billet (or post) appropriate to both rank and grade. However, the details of this major change from 'grade-based' to 'rank-based' have not been revealed, but could involve the length of time in service between promotions/assignments, or which ranks are associated with specific grades. The three authors explained: 'Previously, an officer's grade was more important than rank. More frequent three-star promotion ceremonies could be evidence that this is happening. Establishing a 'rank-based' system will require shortened times between promotions. In a report for the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI), Kenneth W Allen, Dennis J Blasko and John F Corbett observed: 'The recent promotions may reflect aspects of the announced goal to change the PLA's hierarchical structure from a 'grade-based' to a 'rank-based' system.' The Chinese military has a rather convoluted system of ten officer ranks (second lieutenant to general/admiral) and 15 grades (platoon leader to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission ). This could be seen as a retrograde step, even if the current situation is changed in the future. For all the talk of joint warfare and the PLA becoming less ground-centric, it seems that 'Big Army' thinking still dominates within the PLA. This means all five theater commands now have an army general in charge. One of these promotions saw an army general heading the Central Theater Command, replacing a PLAAF general. Traditionally, such promotion ceremonies occurred only annually in July. Four figures were promoted on Decemand another four on July 5, 2021. Interestingly, this was the third three-star ceremony in less than nine months. These generals and admiral have been given command of the PLA Navy ( PLAN), PLA Air Force ( PLAAF), National Defense University and two of five theater commands. The five lieutenant generals (two from the army, one from the navy and two from the air force) were promoted to general, the PLA's highest rank. This was confirmed on September 6 when Chairman Xi Jinping in Beijing presided over a ceremony promoting five senior officers. Hong Kong, September 27 (ANI): Border tensions with India, as well as the recent American and allied pullout from Afghanistan, means the importance of the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army ( PLA) has been growing in China's strategic reckoning.

Army strategic level