The commander of the 40,000-ton Type 075 amphibious assault ship holds a regiment-level rank, which is lower than that of the Type 055 destroyer.
In the China Central Television's series of promotional videos marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, titled "Victory," Zhang Meiyu, the new commander of the Type 055 destroyer "Zunyi," previously served as the commander of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship "Hainan." Upon his transfer to the Type 055 missile destroyer, he was promoted from lieutenant colonel to major general.
Yes, Chinese naval vessels are assigned ranks, and the ranking system is quite deliberate—not necessarily does a larger displacement mean a higher rank.
The ranking of naval vessels primarily reflects their strategic importance. For instance, aircraft carriers and strategic nuclear submarines both hold the same rank—division-level units—with commanders and political commissars at the full division-level major general rank. The Type 055 destroyers enjoy cruiser-level status, equivalent to attack nuclear submarines, at the deputy division level, with commanders and political commissars holding the deputy division-level major general rank. The Type 052D destroyers and amphibious assault ships are classified as regiment-level units.
Despite the Type 075 amphibious assault ship "Hainan" being a massive vessel exceeding 40,000 tons and named after a province, it still falls under the category of landing ships and holds less strategic importance compared to large destroyers ("big black fish") and destroyers.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872389926664192/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.