Xi Jinping's military purge: General behind PLA’s violent Galwan & Doklam clashs stripped of posts

In an unannounced political dismantling, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s sweeping military purge has claimed General Zhao Zongqi, the former commander of the People’s Liberation Army Western Theatre Command who directly oversaw major border confrontations against India at Doklam and Galwan Valley.

China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, voted to strip Zhao of his membership on the Standing Committee of its 14th National Committee. He was additionally removed from his position as deputy director of the ethnic and religious affairs committee.

State media agencies Xinhua and the People’s Daily published the decisions without issuing an explanation or confirming whether formal corruption charges are underway.

Zhao was appointed as the founding head of the restructured Western Theatre Command in February 2016, placing him in control of Chinese military forces operating across Xinjiang, Tibet, and the entirety of the disputed Line of Actual Control with India.

His tenure was defined by two of the most explosive military face-offs between Beijing and New Delhi in decades:

The 2017 Doklam Standoff: In June 2017, Chinese forces under Zhao’s command attempted to construct an operational road through the Doklam plateau — a territory claimed by both Bhutan and China. Indian troops crossed the border near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction in the Chumbi Valley to halt construction, resulting in a tense 72-day eyeball-to-eyeball military confrontation before both nations agreed to disengage. Reports later identified Zhao as the principal strategist driving China’s aggressive posture during the episode.

The 2020 Galwan Valley Clash: In May 2020, Chinese troops orchestrated coordinated intrusions across multiple points in eastern Ladakh. On June 15, 2020, the crisis escalated into hand-to-hand combat in the Galwan Valley, marking the first fatal military clash along the Line of Actual Control in 45 years.

Twenty Indian soldiers lost their lives. While Beijing officially acknowledged four PLA casualties, independent intelligence reports estimated Chinese fatalities exceeded 30. US intelligence assessments subsequently revealed that General Zhao personally authorised the aggressive Galwan operation with the intent to teach India a lesson.

Zhao’s removal coincides with broader systemic turbulence inside the top ranks of the PLA. Generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were stripped of their roles on China’s state Central Military Commission following probes into serious violations of discipline and law. More than 100 high-ranking officers have been removed, investigated, or dismissed under Xi's anti-corruption crackdown.