New2grammar
Xinhua reported 135,000 Chinese troops and medics are involved in the rescue effort across 58 counties and cities.
Can I replace troops with soldiers in general?
Yes. The following extract from the Collins Cobuild Dictionary for Advanced Learners gives a very clear definition of 'troops'.
1. Troops are soldiers, especially when they are in a particular large organized group doing a particular task.
The next phase of the operation will involve the deployment of more than 35,000 troops from thirty-five countries.
2. A troop is a group of soldiers within a cavalry or armoured regiment.
... a troop of enemy cavalry trotting towards the Dutch right flank.