Chinese troops stationed in the harsh conditions of the Tibetan plateau now have access to better supplies of oxygen as part of efforts to strengthen equipment, training and logistics along the disputed western border with India, the military said.
PLA Daily, the People’s Liberation Army mouthpiece, said on Monday that the military has established a 20km (12.4 miles) supply zone to improve operational efficiency at its high-altitude border outposts.
Liu Hao, commander of a border regiment stationed 5,380 metres (17,700 feet) above sea level in the Hotan military subdistrict, told the newspaper that faster and more reliable oxygen access is critical for soldiers’ health and combat readiness.
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Hotan – in Xinjiang region on the Karakoram plateau, the second-highest mountain range on Earth – is not far from the Galwan Valley, scene of a deadly skirmish between Chinese and Indian soldiers on June 15, 2020.
China and India share 3,500km (2,170 miles) of disputed border, shaped by colonial-era boundary demarcations, along the Himalayan frontier in some of the harshest conditions on Earth, where oxygen levels are less than 40 per cent of those at sea level.
The Hotan military subdistrict, which is subordinate to the PLA’s Xinjiang Military Command, is responsible for operations along the western sector of the Line of Actual Control, where tensions flared several times in recent years before easing in late 2024.
The two nuclear-armed Asian neighbours agreed to de-escalate tensions following discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Brics summit in October.
According to the PLA Daily report, which cited military doctor Liu Wei, the high-altitude border outpost now boasts “a comprehensive oxygen supply system ... providing consistent support for soldiers’ health and combat readiness”.
The newspaper also spoke to Guo Xiangxiang, a staff sergeant who has been stationed at the outpost since 2010, about the advancements in oxygen supply infrastructure that he has witnessed over the years.
“When I first arrived, oxygen supply was scarce, and only critically ill soldiers could access oxygen from steel cylinders,” Guo said. That year, bedside systems were installed to give the troops access to bottled air during their rest periods, he recalled.
In 2016, an oxygen-enriched indoor training facility – with heating, humidifiers and fitness equipment – was introduced to help maintain physical fitness and improve oxygen intake.
According to Guo, the logistical improvements have been transformative since his arrival at the outpost, when oxygen cylinders had to be transported from Kashgar, more than 500km (311 miles) away.
Refilling capabilities first moved to Yecheng and then to a medical station 100km (62 miles) from the outpost. In 2020, a mobile oxygen generation chamber was installed on-site, eliminating the need for long-distance refills.
In 2021, the unit added a micro-pressure oxygen chamber that simulates altitudes as low as 500 metres (1,640 feet). Liu Wei, the military doctor, told PLA Daily that it serves as a recovery station for soldiers after patrols or strenuous activities.
“Compared with self-administered oxygen, the micro-pressure chamber is more controlled and effective,” he said, noting that it provides therapeutic and preventive benefits.
The PLA Daily described the advancements as a transition from emergency “life-saving” oxygen through routine “health oxygen” to “combat oxygen”, reflecting a strategic focus on ensuring soldiers remain fit for duty in extreme conditions.
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