China appoints new Tibet Governor: Xinhua

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January 16, 2017;

Reuters, 15 January 2017

Qi Zhala (58) of Tibetan ethnicity will be the second-most powerful figure in the region.

China has appointed a new Governor of Tibet, one of the country’s most politically-sensitive regions, state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.

A thirty-five-year veteran of the Communist Party, Qi Zhala (58) has also served as the region’s Communist Party vice-secretary and the party boss of regional capital Lhasa, according to his resume, published by party mouthpiece the People’s Daily. He replaces Luosang Jiangcun, who was named secretary of the region’s National People’s Congress in the same Xinhua announcement.

Knotty issue

Managing the remote Himalayan region of Tibet remains a difficult issue for China as the region has struggled with decades of often violent unrest in protest against Chinese rule, which started when Chinese troops marched into Tibet in 1950.

China says its rule has brought prosperity and stability, and rejects charges from Tibetan exiles and rights groups of widespread repression.

Of Tibetan extraction

Of Tibetan ethnicity, Mr. Qi originates from neighbouring Yunnan province. He held official posts in Yunnan before being transferred to Tibet in 2010. As Governor, he is the second-most powerful figure in the region, after the regional Communist party boss.