Tibet regional government chairman Qiangba Puncog is to tender his resignation at the ongoing session of the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region, according to the confirmed agenda of the annual meeting.

A new chairman will be elected before the session concludes on Friday.

Qiangba Puncog, a native of Qamdo Prefecture, was born in 1947. He took office as chairman of Tibet's regional government in May 2003.

Legqog, chairman of the Standing Committee of Tibet's regional people's congress, will also present his resignation at the parliamentary session, which opened Sunday. The congress will elect a new leader.

Legqog, born in 1944, is a native of Gyangze County in southern Tibet. He was appointed Tibet's top legislator in May 2003, after serving for five years as chairman of the regional government.

Tibet Daily reported last week that Legqog had been replaced by Padma Choling as deputy secretary of Tibet's regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Padma Choling, born in 1951, is also vice-chairman of the regional government.

Tibet's regional legislature endorsed the landmark "Serfs Emancipation Day" at last year's session.

The day, to be marked every year on March 28, commemorates the end of feudal serfdom. It was the day the Chinese central government dissolved the aristocratic rule of Tibet and freed more than 1 million serfs.