Wei Jinshan

Wei Jinshan (; 5 April 1927 – 8 December 2023) was a Chinese Communist revolutionary and vice admiral of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Starting in 1945, he served for decades in the army under General Xu Shiyou, and became a decorated veteran of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War, and the Korean War. He later transferred to the Navy and served as Political Commissar of the PLAN from 1990 to 1993. He was awarded the Medal of Honour by CCP general secretary Xi Jinping and the Order of the National Flag by North Korea.

Republic of China Wei Jinshan was born on 5 April 1927 in Wei Family Village (魏家村) in Penglai, Shandong, Republic of China. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he attended secondary school in the Jiaodong Communist Base from 1943 to 1944. In February 1945, he enlisted in the Eighth Route Army and served under General Xu Shiyou, the commander of the Jiaodong Military Area.

After the Empire of Japan announced its surrender on 15 August 1945, the Communist forces in Shandong attacked Jimo, which was held by Japan and the puppet Wang Jingwei regime, to gain an advantage over the Kuomintang forces. Wei participated in the battle on 26 August, when the Communists took over the city after a three-hour battle and annihilated the 34th Brigade of the Wang Jingwei regime. At Menglianggu, the 9th Column Wei belonged to was a main attacking force. It subsequently became the main unit of the East China Field Army (later renamed the Third Field Army). By the end of the civil war in 1949, Wei had been promoted to Chief of Staff of the Combat Department of the 79th Division, under the 27th Army of the Third Field Army. He retired in December 1993. He was also a delegate to the 5th National People's Congress.

Honours Wei was a recipient of the Order of Liberation (Third Class).