China Acts Against General Who Led Forces During Doklam, Galwan Clashes

China has removed several senior officials from key positions, including former General Zhao Zongqi, who led the People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theater Command during the 2017 Doklam standoff and the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Beijing announced that Zhao had been removed from China’s top political advisory body and two other important positions, without providing an official reason.

Zhao was appointed the first commander of the Western Theater Command in 2016, which oversees a large part of China’s military operations along the border with India. He was in charge during the prolonged Doklam standoff in 2017 and the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020. The latest removals are being viewed in the context of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ongoing military purge and anti-corruption drive, although Beijing has not officially linked Zhao’s removal to those measures.