The Communist Party of China of the so-called “Tibetan Autonomous Region” (TAR) convened its 10th annual meeting on 27 – 30 November. This is one of the highest authorities of meeting in the “TAR” and is convened every five years. The current meeting has an agenda of comprehensive planning of the implementation of policies of the Chinese government in the so-called Tibetan Autonomous Region.
The meeting saw the highest number of transitions in the composition of the executives of the Communist Party of Tibet; there are 15 new appointees as the latest members of the party, of which; there are 9 Chinese and only 6 Tibetans. With the appointment of a usual Chinese party secretary, the changes in both power and representation clearly steer more towards Chinese representation and authority.
The recent 10th meeting of the Chinese Communist Party of Lhasa city also has also appointed new executive members of the committee of the Party, of which 11 are Chinese and only 4 Tibetans are appointed. This issue alone shows a lack of right and authority of “regional ethnic autonomy” for the Tibetans.
Pema Wangdue, Deputy Director of the People’s Government of the TAR was an eligible candidate for the deputy secretary of the Communist Party of TAR and was also hoping to be appointed to this position. But, he was not appointed to the position of the Deputy Secretary and was even removed from his positions as the executive member of the committee of the Communist Party.
On 1 January 2021, a meeting of leading cadres in Lhasa was convened to appoint new leadership in the Communist Party of Lhasa and decided to remove Pema Wangdue from the position as the Party Secretary. Yan Jinhai, the Chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region who has only recently moved to Tibet was appointed as the Party Secretary. Yan Jinhai now holds the dual position of the Chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region and also the Party Secretary of Lhasa.
Pema Wangdue is removed from the executive committee of the Communist Party of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The standing members’ committee of the Communist Party now has four Tibetan members including The Party Secretary of Chamdo, Phurbu Dhondup is who has filled in Pema Wangdue’s position. Other Tibetans include Karma Tsetan, Dawa Tsering, and Xiao Yaocai. Karma Tsetan was Deputy Secretary and Director of the home affairs and the promotion to the executive members’ Committee was a sudden promotion. Dawa Tsering, Director of the department of natural resources was also promoted to the executive committee of the Communist Party of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
Zhang Xueje, chairman of the Political Committee of the Tibet Military Region, is also appointed to the executive committee of the Communist Party of TAR. Although the military authority has been reduced during the 18th national congress of the communist party of china, the appointment of the Political Commissioner of the Tibet Military Commission to the standing committee of the Party is a new development. This could be a move to elevate the authority of the Political commissioner of the Tibet Military Commission with growing border tensions with India.
Translated from Tibetan.
