Police officers and border guards patrol the border in Altay Prefecture of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on October 28, 2021. Photo: VCG

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been commissioning individual portable oxygen supply devices for soldiers in a move to ensure the troops' top combat capabilities in high-altitude plateau regions.

Since last year, the Logistics Support Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC) started to provide PLA plateau troops with individual oxygen supply devices, including portable oxygen cylinders, portable oxygen generators and solid oxygen plants, the PLA Daily reported on Sunday.

This is expected to contribute to the enhancement of the troops' combat capabilities, as oxygen supplies can now stretch from peacetime to wartime, from base camps to outer fields, and from stationary to mobile positions, the report said, noting that oxygen supply is crucial to the wellbeing and medical support of the plateau troops.

Over the past years, the CMC Logistics Support Department and the PLA Army have established a complete oxygen supply system for both peacetime and wartime, consisting of oxygen stations at military bases and along the national road, mobile oxygen cabins as well as portable individual oxygen supply devices for soldiers, the PLA Daily reported.

The lack of oxygen in high altitude regions impacts the troops' quality of life and combat preparedness since oxygen is needed to power the human body. Without proper oxygen supplies, some troops in the plain regions could suffer from altitude sickness like dizziness, fatigue or more serious conditions, which are tough for normal travelers but even more for troops who are about to fight, a PLA veteran who served in Southwest China's high-altitude Xizang Autonomous Region told the Global Times on Sunday, requesting anonymity.

As a key part of the logistics support, a complete system of oxygen supply means the troops do not need to be distracted by the lack of oxygen and can focus on their duty, the PLA veteran said.

China and India failed to reach an agreement during the 13th round of corps commander-level talks over issues related to the western section of the China-India border, with the PLA Western Theater Command slamming India for its unreasonable and unrealistic demands on October 11.

Several Chinese experts reached by the Global Times warned at the time that China needs to brace for the possibility of further Indian military aggression as India is risking a new round of conflict.