China probes former Tibet leader over bribes, ‘superstitious activities'
Qizhala — who was governor of the western region from 2017 to 2021 — was dismissed over 'serious violations of discipline', a statement said, a common euphemism for corruption.
He had most recently served as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's main political advisory body.
Beijing's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Supervisory Commission said Qizhala 'betrayed' his original mission by accepting bribes and misusing public funds to host illegal banquets.
He also colluded with business owners to secure favourable contracts and engaged in 'superstitious activities' over a long period, they said.
His family were also accused of using his official position for personal gain.
Ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members are banned from participating in 'superstitious activities' — including some religious practices that 'erode' a cadre's loyalties.
Religion is tightly controlled in Tibet, where Chinese troops in 1959 crushed an uprising in the capital forcing its spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to flee.
United Nations experts have raised alarm at Chinese government policies allegedly aimed at assimilating Tibetan people culturally, religiously and linguistically.
Last week, a court in Beijing handed a suspended death sentence to Wu Yingjie, the head of the CCP in the region from 2016 to 2021, for taking bribes worth almost $50 million.
Wu was expelled from the party in December, also over 'serious violations of discipline.'
President Xi Jinping has overseen a wide-ranging campaign against official graft since coming to power over a decade ago. Critics say it also serves as a way to purge political rivals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' Marcos Jnr rails against corruption in State of the Nation address
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivered his shortest State of the Nation address (Sona) to date on Monday, as he mostly sidestepped foreign policy issues and used the occasion to launch a blistering attack on public infrastructure corruption. During the speech that lasted an hour and 10 minutes, Marcos Jnr made no mention of China and referred to the United States only in passing. The focus on corruption and a lack of insight into external developments suggests a calculated bid by him to bolster his domestic support and avoid stoking tensions with other countries, according to analysts. 'Then as now, our foreign policy remains the same. The Philippines is a friend to all. The Philippines is an enemy to none. That will be our main focus as we, the Philippines, host the Asean summit in 2026.' The president offered no comment on rising maritime tensions in the South China Sea, where the Chinese coastguard and militia vessels have repeatedly confronted Philippine forces in recent months. His only reference to the US came in the context of Manila's 'debt' to Washington for helping in the modernisation of the Philippines' police and military. Vergel Santos, a veteran journalist and former publisher of BusinessWorld, told This Week in Asia that the president's position was clear despite his short speech. 'I think he has made it clear enough he will resist China. And I can somehow understand he skipped the subject because it's evident enough he has chosen to side with the US,' Santos said, noting that American forces now had access to nine military bases across the Philippines.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's imports of US goods plunge amid trade war, complicating ‘phase 2' deal
Washington is widely expected to push China to commit to 'large purchases' of US goods during trade negotiations in Sweden this week, but customs data shows that Chinese imports of a slew of American commodities have plunged or even halted entirely in recent months. Officials from Beijing and Washington begin a crucial third round of trade talks in Stockholm on Monday, with many analysts predicting the US side will focus on securing Chinese agreements to import more American oil, liquefied natural gas and other goods. The talks come a day after the US struck a framework trade deal with the European Union that included an EU commitment to ramp up imports of American energy and military equipment, and the US setting a 15 per cent tariff rate on EU goods. 'The Trump administration is pursuing a 'phase two' trade deal and will request large purchases of US commodities, including energy, as well as direct investment in US commodity production and export capacity,' said Matt Gertken, chief geopolitical strategist at BCA Research in Canada. But he added that 'US-China national security competition will force China to impose limitations on US dependency'. China has long been a major buyer of US energy and agricultural products, but its imports of several American commodities have plunged or completely frozen in recent months as tensions between the two sides have intensified over a series of trade and technology issues.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's imports of US goods plunge amid trade war, complicating ‘phase 2' deal
Washington is widely expected to push China to commit to 'large purchases' of US goods during trade negotiations in Sweden this week, but customs data shows that Chinese imports of a slew of American commodities have plunged or even halted entirely in recent months. Officials from Beijing and Washington begin a crucial third round of trade talks in Stockholm on Monday, with many analysts predicting the US side will focus on securing Chinese agreements to import more American oil, liquefied natural gas and other goods. The talks come a day after the US struck a framework trade deal with the European Union that included an EU commitment to ramp up imports of American energy and military equipment, and the US setting a 15 per cent tariff rate on EU goods. 'The Trump administration is pursuing a 'phase two' trade deal and will request large purchases of US commodities, including energy, as well as direct investment in US commodity production and export capacity,' said Matt Gertken, chief geopolitical strategist at BCA Research in Canada. But he added that 'US-China national security competition will force China to impose limitations on US dependency'. China has long been a major buyer of US energy and agricultural products, but its imports of several American commodities have plunged or completely frozen in recent months as tensions between the two sides have intensified over a series of trade and technology issues.
