China removes PLA general who oversaw Doklam and Galwan standoffs with India from key post - Firstpost

**China removes PLA general who oversaw Doklam and Galwan standoffs from key post**

Beijing announced on Tuesday that General Zhao Zongqi, a veteran commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command and a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), has been stripped of his seat on the CMC’s top advisory body. The state‑run Xinhua News Agency said Zhao was “removed from the position of member of the Central Military Commission and the Standing Committee of the Central National Defense Mobilization Commission” as part of a routine “restructuring of senior military leadership.” No official explanation was offered, and Zhao’s removal was not accompanied by any disciplinary citation.

Zhao rose to prominence for directing the PLA’s frontline operations during two of the most volatile border confrontations with India. In 2017 he oversaw the Doklam standoff, where Chinese troops attempted to block a road‑building project on a disputed tri‑junction, prompting a month‑long face‑to‑face standoff with Indian forces. Four years later, Zhao was in charge of the Western Theater during the Galwan Valley clash, the first deadly encounter between the two armies in decades, which left 20 Indian soldiers dead and sparked a wave of nationalist rhetoric in both capitals. His hard‑line posture earned him a reputation in Beijing as a “battle‑tested” commander capable of “teaching India a lesson,” a narrative frequently echoed in state media after the 2020 incident.

Analysts see Zhao’s ouster as a continuation of President Xi Jinping’s broader campaign to consolidate control over the PLA and eliminate officials perceived as too independent or insufficiently loyal. The move comes after a series of high‑profile dismissals, including the recent removal of the joint staff chief, suggesting a systematic reshuffle aimed at tightening Xi’s grip on the military’s strategic direction. While the timing coincides with a lull in active border incidents, the personnel change could signal a shift in Beijing’s approach to the Line of Actual Control, potentially paving the way for a more diplomatic posture—or, conversely, a re‑deployment of other hard‑liners to maintain pressure on New Delhi.