Che Dalha

Che Dalha (; born August 1958), also romanized as Che Zala and Qizhala , is a Chinese politician of Tibetan ethnicity who served as Chairman (Governor) of the Tibet Autonomous Region between January 2017 and October 2021. Originally from Yunnan province, he served as Party Secretary of the Tibetan capital Lhasa between 2012 and 2017. Since October 2017, he is the member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Career Che Dalha was born in Zhongdian County, Yunnan (later renamed Shangri-La). He left school at age 10 to herd animals in his home village. He completed primary school and high school by teaching himself. In his capacity as party chief of Lhasa, he visited Chicago and met with U.S. Senator Mark Kirk. His tenure in Lhasa was largely defined by the modernization of the cityscape.

On 15 January 2017, Che Dalha was appointed Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region, succeeding Losang Jamcan. He was the ninth ethnic Tibetan to assume the post after the conclusion of the Cultural Revolution, and the first chairman from Yunnan province. He was additionally the first chairman of the region to have not been born in the Tibet Autonomous Region in some twenty years.

In March 2023, Che Dalha 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.

Investigation On 23 January 2025, Che Dalha was put under investigation for alleged "serious violations of discipline and laws" by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the party's internal disciplinary body, and the National Supervisory Commission, the highest anti-corruption agency of China. On July 22, he was expelled from the CCP and dismissed from public office.

On 5 June 2026, Che Dalha was sentenced to life imprisonment in Chongqing court for taking bribery in 158 million yuan.