Xi appoints new Commander to lead PLA’s troops on India-China border

According to official media reports, China's President Xi Jinping has appointed Gen Wang Haijiang as the new Commander of the People's Liberation Army's Western Theatre Command. The Western Theatre Command oversees the borders with India.

Xinping, the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) chief, is also the head of the Central Military Commission (CMC). The CMC is the overall high command of the country's army. 

According to state-run website chinamil, the 68-year-old leader has promoted Wang and four other military officers to the rank of General, which is the highest rank for officers in active military service in China. He also presented certificates of order promoting them to the military rank of General, the report said. 

"The promoted officers are Commander of the PLA Western Theater Command Wang Haijiang, Commander of the PLA Central Theater Command Lin Xiangyang, Commander of the PLA Navy Dong Jun and Commander of the PLA Air Force Chang Dingqiu and President of PLA National Defence University Xu Xueqiang," the report added. 

Gen Wang is the fourth commander to head the Western Theatre Command ever since the eastern Ladakh standoff started in May last year.