The navy of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will now be commanded by Zhang Dingfa, previously a joint commander, Chinese media said.

Zhang replaces Shi Yunsheng, 63, according to several newspaper reports quoting Xinhua press agency.

Hu Yanlin also replaces Yang Huaiqing as the Navy's political commissar, the reports said.

The changes were approved by the central committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the agency said, without offering a reason for the reshuffle.

The pro-Beijing Hong Kong daily newspaper Wen Wei Po, said that the commander of the PLA's northern fleet, Ding Yiping, had been dismissed and replaced by Zhang Zhannan, once the head of the PLA's training programmes.

According to the newspaper, quoting "Beijing sources" the northern fleet also changes its political commissar.

Observers say these changes are linked to the submarine disaster, discovered on May 2, in the Bohai sea off northeastern China in which 70 sailors are said to have died.

The submarine had been taking part in an exercise close to the Neichangshan islands when it developed technical problems, official reports said.

WAR.WIRE