China removes general who led PLA during Doklam, Galwan clashes from political advisory body

Zhao Zongqi removed from CPPCC

China has removed General Zhao Zongqi, who headed the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Western Theatre Command during the 2017 Doklam standoff and the 2020 Galwan Valley clash with India, from the country's top political advisory body. According to China's state-run Xinhua news agency, Zhao was expelled from the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and two other positions. Beijing, however, did not give a reason for his removal or announce any investigation against him.

Zhao's removal comes amid Chinese President Xi Jinping's widening purge of the PLA, which has targeted senior military officers, theatre commands, weapons procurement and defence universities. Xi, who is also the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), recently removed two senior military officers, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, from the CMC. The removal of Zhang and Liu leaves just two active members on the previously seven-member commission, including Xi himself.

Zhao's role in border standoffs

Zhao served as commander of the PLA's Western Theatre Command, which oversees China's borders with India. Both the 2017 Doklam standoff and the 2020 Galwan Valley clash took place during his tenure. The confrontation in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020, when PLA troops deployed at several points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). On June 15, Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed in the Galwan Valley, with 20 Indian soldiers killed in the confrontation.

According to a 2020 report by news agency ANI, citing US intelligence sources, Zhao authorised the Galwan operation to "teach India a lesson". The report said Zhao had overseen previous standoffs with India and was concerned that China should not appear weak before the United States and its allies, including India. Zhao was replaced as Western Theatre commander in December 2020 after reaching retirement age.

Xi's anti-corruption campaign

Zhao's removal is the latest in a series of actions against senior military figures under Xi's anti-corruption campaign, which experts have termed a "purge". The campaign, launched in 2012, has seen scores of senior officers investigated, removed or expelled. Zhao's removal has fuelled speculation that he is caught in the widening purge, though no official explanation has been provided.

As reported by Reuters, Zhao's removal came as China removed two other senior generals from the state Central Military Commission following investigations into suspected "serious violations of discipline and law". Xi, meanwhile, urged senior Communist Party leaders in July to intensify the fight against corruption in the armed forces.