China has appointed a new Army commander for its Western Theatre Command ground forces responsible for the Sino-India border, ahead of the key talks between senior Indian and Chinese military officials on Saturday to end the border standoff.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theatre Command, on its official website, announced that Lieutenant General Xu Qiling has been appointed as the new commander for its ground forces.
Before this, he reportedly served in the Eastern Theatre Command. The Western Theatre Command of the PLA guards the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India.
The PLA’s Western Theatre Command, which includes the ground force or Army, Air Force and Rocket Force, is headed by General Zhao Zongqi.
The new appointment comes at a time when the Chinese and Indian forces are locked in a border standoff since early last month.