(TibetanReview.net, Jan23’25) –China said Jan 23 that former top Tibetan official of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Mr Qi Zhala, now serving in the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been placed under investigation for corruption, with no details about the allegations against him.
Qi Zhala (also written as Qe Dalha), a senior political adviser and former chairman of TAR government, is being investigated for suspected serious violations of the Party disciplines and national laws, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Jan 23, citing the country’s and party’s top anti-corruption watchdogs.
The announcement was stated to have been disclosed by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision online, with no more details provided.
Qi is currently a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC. He previously served in the Tibetan area of Yunnan province and the TAR for decades.
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The 66-year-old Tibetan was born in Zhongdian (Tibetan: Gyalthang) County, later renamed as Shangri-La, in Yunnan province. In 2001, he was promoted to Governor of the Dêqên (Dechen) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. In 2010, he become a provincial party standing committee member in Yunnan province.
In Sep 2010, Chi Dala was moved to the TAR where was appointed the Head of its United Front Work Department and he also became the Vice Chairman of the TAR People’s Political Consultative Conference in 2011. In 2012, he was appointed as the Party Secretary of the Tibetan capital Lhasa.
On Jan 15, 2017, he was appointed the Chairman of TAR government, remaining in that position until 2021.
On Oct 23, 2021, he was appointed vice chairperson of the National People’s Congress Ethnic Affairs Committee. Later in Mar 2023, Chi Dala took the position of deputy head of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the National Committee of the CPPCC.
Meanwhile, Gama Cedain (Karma Tseten), 57, was elected the chairman of the TAR government on Oct 22 during the ongoing session of the TAR people’s congress. This followed the resignation in Nov 2024 of Yan Jinhai, 62, who held that position for a little over three years. No reason was cited for this Qinghai Tibetan native’s resignation.