(TibetanReview.net, Jul23’25) – After being put under investigation on Jan 23, 2025 by China’s top party and government anti-corruption bodies, Qizhala (also written as Qi Zhala, Qe Dalha or Che Dalha), a CPC (Communist Party of China) Central Committee member and former Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government, has been dismissed from office and expelled from the party for crimes that include taking bribes and engaging in “superstitious activities”, reported China’s official media and other sources Jul 22, citing a statement from the same authorities.
The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision stated in their joint statement that the decisions were made following an investigation into Qizhala’s case, conducted with the approval of the CPC Central Committee, reported China’s official globaltimes.cn Jul 22.
The report said Qizhala was found to have lost his ideals and convictions; that he violated organizational principles to benefit others in the selection and appointment of officials.
It continued that his integrity was compromised as he improperly accepted gifts and cash, and allowed his relatives to exploit his official influence for personal gain. Qizhala also used his position to seek benefits for others in project contracting, financing and business operations, and illegally accepted enormous sums of money and valuables in return, the statement was cited as saying.
According to the AFP Jul 22, the statement also accused Qizhala of engaging in “superstitious activities”. CPC members are banned from participating in such activities — including some religious practices that “erode” a cadre’s loyalties, the report noted.
According to Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (savetibet.org) Jul 22, the prosecution in recent days of two senior officials (the other being Wu Yingjie, former TAR party Secretary) handpicked by Beijing to head the leadership in TAR for misuse of funds have exposed deep ties between corruption and repression in Tibet.
Qizhala is probably the seniormost Tibetan among many others working under the Chinese system who have been subjected to investigation for misusing public funds, indicating that corruption is pervasive in the Tibetan areas, the group said.
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Qizhala began to work in TAR in Sep 2010, when he was appointed as the Head of the United Front Work Department there. He was elected as 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. In this capacity, he visited Chicago and met with US Senator Mark Kirk.
He then rose to be the chairman of the regional government in Jan 2017, holding that position till Oct 2021.
In Oct 2021, he was appointed vice chairperson of the National People’s Congress Ethnic Affairs Committee. Later in Mar 2023, he took the position of deputy head of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
He has since Oct 2017 been a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
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Qizhala was born in Gyalthang (Chinese: Zhongdian, renamed as Shangri-la in Dec 2001 as a tourist attraction) county in Yunnan province. At 25 years of age in 1983, he became the Communist Youth League Secretary of Zhongdian County. He rose through the ranks of the Communist Party hierarchy, serving as the Deputy Party Secretary, then Party Secretary of Zhongdian County.
He also held top government posts, being appointed in 2001 as the Governor of Dechen (Dêqên) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He was credited with making Dechen the “best Tibetan region in China” as documented by Chinese official sources.
He served as the Party Secretary of Dechen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture from 2007 to 2010, when he was elected a provincial party standing committee member in Yunnan