The WTC oversees the disputed Sino-India border, and is China’s largest theatre command. Commander of the PLA’s WTC Xu Qiling, 59, was among the four to possess been promoted as general, Xinhua press agency reported.
He reports to Gen Zhang Xudong, the general head of the WTC.
“Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central military commission (CMC), has promoted four senior military officers to the rank of general, the very best rank for officers in active service in China”, the Xinhua report said.
Xi presented certificates of the orders he signed to them at a ceremony held by the CMC in Beijing on Monday.
Besides Xu, the opposite officers promoted were the Commander of PLA’s Southern Theatre Command, Wang Xiubin, Commander of the PLA Army, Liu Zhenli, and therefore the Commander of the PLA Strategic Support Force, Ju Qiansheng.
“Xu Qiliang, CMC vice chairman, announced the orders of promotion at the ceremony, which was presided over by CMC vice chairman Zhang Youxia”, the report said.
The promotion of Xu as general comes within the backdrop of the continued military tension along the road of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Then a lieutenant general, Xu was appointed because the new commander of PLA’s army in June, 2020, days before the deadly Galwan Valley clash during which both Indian and Chinese soldiers were killed.
The new appointment last year had come at a time when Chinese and Indian forces were already locked during a border standoff for weeks.
Xu, a former ground force commander of the Eastern Theatre Command, swapped posts together with his counterpart He Weidong within the WTC, in-charge of the disputed border areas within the Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions.
Xu’s promotion comes before subsequent round of military talks between India and China to resolve the border tension.
On June 25, the 2 sides held the 22nd meeting of the China-India Border Consultation and Coordination Mechanism by video link.
Representatives of the 2 countries’ foreign affairs, defence, immigration and other departments attended.
According to statements issued by each side , they exchanged candid and in-depth views on border issues and bilateral relations. They agreed to consolidate the results of the disengagement of border troops between the 2 sides and resolve the remaining issues within the western a part of the China-India border in accordance with the consensus reached by the foreign ministers of the 2 countries.
“The two sides will still work to market further de-escalation of things at the border, avoid the recurrence of things on the bottom , and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility within the border areas”, the Chinese statement said.
The two sides also agreed to continue high-level diplomatic communication, provide further important guidance on things at the China-India border, and actively steel oneself against the 12th round of military-level talks to work out specific time and arrangements through the border hotline as soon as possible.
On Monday, Xi also signed an order to confer an honorary counterterrorism title to a special operations squadron of the armed police in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
