Xu Qiling has been at the centre of the border tensions with India as the head of the People’s Liberation Army’s Ground Forces or Army in the border Western Theatre CommandChina’s President Xi Jinping has promoted four senior military officers, including one who has been at the centre of the border tensions with India as the head of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Ground Forces or Army in the border Western Theatre Command, to the highest rank of General. The promoted officers were named as Xu Qiling, Commander of the PLA's Western Theatre Command, Wang Xiubin, Commander of the Southern Theatre Command, Liu Zhenli, Commander of the PLA Army, and Ju Qiansheng, Commander of the PLA Strategic Support Force. General Xu, then Lieutenant General, is now one of the PLA’s youngest Generals, the highest-rank for active officers. Also read: A year on, unanswered questions, sparse details in China’s accounts of Galwan clashThe command at the time was headed by General Zhao Zongqi. In December 2020, General Zhang Xudong, who was awarded the rank of General that same month, took over as Commander of the entire Western Theatre Command overseeing all its forces, replacing General Zhao, the long-standing Commander, who retired at 65.

Source: The Hindu July 06, 2021 03:37 UTC