In the first quarter of 2026, at least five retired senior Chinese navy officers passed away, including two rear admirals and three vice admirals.
Public information reveals that Bi Huiyi, born in Zouping, Shandong in August 1941, joined the Chinese Communist Party in April 1963. He held various positions within the navy, such as Deputy Political Commissar of naval vessels, Deputy Director of the Political Department of the naval fleet, Regiment and Brigade Political Commissar, Division Political Director, Deputy Political Commissar, Political Commissar and Deputy Political Commissar of the military political department, as well as serving as the Political Commissar and Party Secretary of the Navy Zhoushan Base. Bi Huiyi was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in 1993 and Vice Admiral in 2001.
On March 29, 2026, Qian Jianjun, former Deputy Political Commissar of the North Sea Fleet, passed away at the age of 73. Qian Jianjun, born in August 1952, held positions such as Political Commissar of a destroyer flotilla, Deputy Director of the Political Department of the South Sea Fleet, and Deputy Political Commissar of the North Sea Fleet, holding the rank of Rear Admiral in the navy.
Another report from the People’s Liberation Army Daily stated that Wei Zhiguo, a retired officer of the deputy army group and former Deputy Political Commissar of the Eastern Sea Fleet, passed away in Shanghai on January 16, 2026, at the age of 97. Wei Zhiguo had served as Deputy Political Commissar and Political Commissar of the Guangzhou naval base and was awarded the rank of Rear Admiral in 1988.
Huang Maojiang, a retired Rear Admiral and former Deputy Commander of the Navy’s Aviation Corps, passed away on January 15, 2026, in Qingdao, Shandong, at the age of 81. Huang Maojiang had served as the Commander of the Aviation Corps of the North Sea Fleet and the Eastern Sea Fleet, among other positions.
Wang Zheng, a Vice Admiral of the Chinese Navy and former Deputy Political Commissar, passed away on the evening of January 3, 2026, at the age of 64, as announced by Xinhua News Agency on January 19, 2026.
Wang Zheng, born in Jingxian, Hebei in 1961, previously held positions such as Director of the Propaganda Department of the Air Force Political Department and served as the Political Commissar of the Air Force Research Institute from 2012 to 2014. From November 2014, he was appointed as the Director of the Political Department of the Jinan Military Region Air Force. Wang Zheng assumed roles such as Political Commissar of the Jinan Military Region Air Force Support Office and Director of the Political Work Department of the Northern Theater Air Force in 2016.
Wang Zheng was mentored by former Military Commission Member Miao Hua and worked alongside then Navy Commander Shen Jinlong, Navy Political Commissar Qin Shengxiang, and Yuan Huazhi. Miao Hua, Shen Jinlong, Qin Shengxiang, and Yuan Huazhi, all four Navy Vice Admirals, have fallen from grace.