Miao Hua

Admiral Miao Hua
苗华
Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office October 2017
CMC Chairman	Xi Jinping
Preceded by	Zhang Yang
Political Commissar of the People's Liberation Army Navy
In office December 2014 – September 2017
Deputy	Ding Haichun, Wang Dengping
Commander	Shen Jinlong
Preceded by	Liu Xiaojiang
Succeeded by	Qin Shengxiang
Political Commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region
In office July 2014 – December 2014
Preceded by	Li Changcai
Succeeded by	Liu Lei
Personal details
Born	November 1955 (age 68–69) Fuzhou, Fujian, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party (1973-present)
Military service
Allegiance	China
Branch/service	People's Liberation Army Ground Force  People's Liberation Army Navy
Years of service	1969−present
Rank	Admiral
Commands	Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission

Miao Hua (Chinese: 苗华; pinyin: Miáo Huá; born November 1955) is an admiral of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). He has served as director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission since October 2017. Previously he served as political commissar of the PLA Navy from December 2014 to September 2017, and political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region in 2014.

Miao Hua was born in November 1955 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. He is of Rugao, Jiangsu ancestry.^[1][2]

He enlisted in the PLA in December 1969, serving as a soldier in the 274th regiment of the 92nd division of the 31st Group Army, in the Nanjing Military Region. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in September 1973. In the 1980s, he served as a political commissar in several regiments. In the 1990s, he rose to director of the Political Department of the 93rd division, and then political commissar of the 91st division. In August 1999, Miao became director of the Political Department of the 31st Group Army, and attained the rank of major general in July 2001. He was made Political Commissar of the 12th Group Army in July 2005.^[1][3]

Miao was appointed director of the Political Department of the Lanzhou Military Region in December 2010. In July 2012, he became deputy political commissar of the Lanzhou MR, and attained the rank of lieutenant general. In July 2014, he was promoted to political commissar of the Lanzhou MR, replacing General Li Changcai, who had retired.^[1][2]

Five months later, Miao was transferred from the army to the People's Liberation Army Navy, and appointed political commissar of the navy.^[1] It was a highly unusual move, as navy political commissars, including his predecessor Liu Xiaojiang, were normally promoted internally. Observers have interpreted the move as related to the fall of General Xu Caihou, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.^[2] Miao spent most of his career in the Nanjing Military Region, and was based in Xiamen, Fujian Province around the same time when Xi Jinping served as deputy party secretary of Fujian. He worked for many years alongside Xi, who later became CCP general secretary, the top leader in 2012.^[2]

On 31 July 2015, Miao Hua was promoted to admiral, the highest rank for Chinese military officers in active service, together with nine other officers.^[4]

Miao was a member of the 18th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and is a member of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.^[1]