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General Zhang Xudong, centre, had been suffering from cancer. Photo: Weibo

Chinese general Zhang Xudong who stepped down as head of Western Theatre Command in June dies aged 58

  • Zhang, who was replaced as head of the country’s biggest military theatre, had been suffering from cancer and gastrointestinal problems, military sources say
  • His replacement, Xu Qiling, stepped down after just two months and is also said to be in poor health amid a spate of illnesses among commanders and troops
A senior Chinese military commander who was responsible for security along the contested border with India has died at the age of 58.

General Zhang Xudong was replaced as head of the Western Theatre Command after just six months as part of a series of leadership changes. Zhang had been suffering from cancer and problems with his gastrointestinal tract before his death on October 1, according to two military sources.

Zhang was promoted to full general in late December last year, replacing Zhao Zongqi as head of the country’s largest theatre command, an area that includes Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as China’s border with India in the Himalayas.

China-India border tension: live-fire drill tests PLA defences in Tibet

In June he stepped down without any reason being given to be replaced by General Xu Qiling, previously head of the Eastern Theatre Command.

In September the Central Military Commission announced that Xu would himself be replaced by General Wang Haijiang, previously commander of the Xinjiang military district.

“Zhang and Xu were rising stars in the military as President Xi Jinping seemed to think highly of them,” said a military source who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Zhang was given a role on the CMC’s Strategic Planning Committee, but it is not known what Xu’s current role is.

01:31

China shares video of deadly 2020 border clash with Indian troops in Galwan Valley

China shares video of deadly 2020 border clash with Indian troops in Galwan Valley

However, one military source said there were broader concerns for the health and well-being of commanders and troops in the Western Theatre Command, adding that Xu was also suffering from health problems.

“[Xu] also has some problems linked to his gastrointestinal tract,” the source said. “That’s why he left his post just two months after the appointment to the Western Theatre Command.”

Zhou Chenming, a researcher from the Yuan Wang military science and technology institute in Beijing, said many senior officers and commanders on the front line were suffering from gastrointestinal disease and other health problems.

Why did an India-China border clash turn into a deadly scuffle?

“Working conditions in the low-oxygen, low-temperature, high-altitude Western Theatre Command are tough, with coronary heart disease becoming a common problem among officers and soldiers,” Zhou said.

The Western Theatre Command was established as part of a major military overhaul five years ago, which divided the country into five theatre commands as part of the drive to modernise the military and make it combat-ready.

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Indian and Chinese troops along disputed Galwan River border region

Indian and Chinese troops along disputed Galwan River border region
Troops from the Western Theatre Command were involved in a lengthy stand-off with the Indian military last year, including a deadly clash in the Galwan valley.

The People’s Liberation Army forces in the Eastern and Southern Theatre Commands, which include the East and South China Seas, have also been working to reach a higher operational level amid the ongoing tensions with the United States and increase in freedom of navigation operations by other foreign navies.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Ex-chief of military on Indian border dies
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