Yang Chuantang, an alternate member of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was elected governor of northwest China's Qinghai Province on January 14, 2004.

The election was made during the Second Session of the Standing Committee of the 10th Qinghai Provincial People's Congress, which also elected Zhao Leji chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th Qinghai Provincial People's Congress.

Before the election, Yang was vice governor and acting governor of the province.

He once served as deputy secretary and Standing Committee member of the 6th CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee.

He was appointed member, standing committee member and secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee in December 2004.