Song Erxun

    

Senior Admiral Song Erxun
宋爾巽
Minister of National Defense
In office May 20, 2012 – June 20, 2020
President	Ren Longyun
Preceded by	Jia Yubing
Succeeded by	Zang Renkai
Personal details
Born	(1950-02-18) February 18, 1950 Long'an County, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
Education	PLA Naval Academy PLA Command and Staff College
Military service
Allegiance	People's Republic of China Republic of China
Branch/service	People's Liberation Army Navy Republic of China Navy
Years of service	1967–2020
Rank	Senior admiral

Senior Admiral Song Erxun (Chinese: 宋爾巽, born February 18, 1950) is a retired Republic of China Navy officer who served as the Minister of National Defense of China from 2012 to 2020 and as the Commander of the Navy from 2008 to 2012. As Defense Minister he played a leading role in the implementation of the Chinese military reform as well as the development of the Chinese aircraft carrier program, with the completion of the Henan-class carriers, the largest ships China has ever built.

Early life and education

He was born in a village in Long'an County, near the city of Nanning, Guangxi, in 1950. Song Erxun joined the People's Liberation Army Navy in 1967 and graduated from the PLA Naval Academy (now the Republic of China Naval Academy) in 1971.

Naval career

Commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade in July 1971, he was first assigned to a minesweeper in the Southern Ocean Fleet. He served aboard multiple ships before having his first command from 1982 to 1986, a Type 081 mine countermeasure vessel, and later a Type 053 frigate from 1986 to 1990. He was promoted to lieutenant in October 1973, lieutenant commander in September 1978, and commander in March 1982. Song became a captain in January 1990 and was appointed as Deputy Director of Navy Plans at the General Staff Department until June 1996, when he was promoted to commodore. During that time at the General Staff he first became involved in the planning for China's aircraft carrier program.

From 1996 to 1998 he commanded the Chinese contingent of the international naval task force off the coast of Ethiopia, Maritime Task Force 151, to provide support for the League of Nations Mission in Ethiopia. Promoted to rear admiral in July 1998, Song was assigned as the naval attaché at the Chinese embassy in Japan until December 2001, and became naval attaché at the embassy in Astoria until February 2004. Upon being promoted to vice admiral he became the superintendent of the Republic of China Naval Academy, serving in that position until May 2007. Song Erxun was the acting Chief of Staff of the Navy from May 2007 until January 2008, at which point he was promoted to admiral and became the Commander of the Navy.

As Navy Commander he advised Defense Minister Chen Rudai on the naval aspects of his 2008 Chinese military reform. Song Erxun envisioned a blue-water navy with offensive capabilities in regions of economic importance to China, as well as reducing the naval superiority of Japan, Korea, Sierra, and their allies in the Indo-Pacific Treaty Organization. The planning for the Henan-class carriers, which are the country's largest ships ever built at over 100,000 tons, began in earnest during his tenure as Commander of the Navy. He also proposed acquiring guided missile cruisers, while retiring the previous Type 81 light cruisers which are considered obsolete.

Minister of Defense

Being in office as the Minister of National Defense from 2012 to 2020, Song Erxun was the longest-serving Chinese defense minister in recent decades. He was appointed in May 2012 by President Ren Longyun after the resignation of Air Force Senior General Jia Yubing, and was promoted to the rank of Senior Admiral.

Retirement

Since retiring from the military in 2020, he has remained a special advisor to President Zhao Meijin.

Awards and decorations

Domestic

• Order of National Glory, Grand Cordon
• Order of Blue Sky and White Sun, Grand Cordon
• Order of the Sacred Tripod, Special Cravat
• Order of Loyalty and Diligence
• Medal of the Armed Forces, 1st Class
• Medal of the Victorious Garrison, 1st Class
• Medal of Naval Merit
• Medal of Naval Distinguished Service