Qiu studied law at Peking University from 1979 to 1983 and remained there as a faculty member after graduation. From 1985 to 1988, he pursued postgraduate studies in legal theory at Peking University, earning a master's degree. He subsequently served as a lecturer and held administrative posts at the university, including Deputy Secretary and later Secretary of the Communist Youth League Committee, and Director of the Student Affairs Department. During 1995–1996, he was a visiting scholar at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.[4]
In 1996, Qiu entered government service in Beijing, serving as Assistant District Mayor of Chaoyang District, Beijing. He was later appointed Deputy District Mayor and concurrently held positions including Director of the Beijing Central Business District Administrative Committee and Chairman of its Development and Construction Company.[5]
From 2003 to 2006, he served as Director and Deputy Party Secretary of the Beijing Investment Promotion Bureau (Beijing Foreign Investment Service Center). In 2006, he was transferred to Pinggu District, Beijing, where he successively served as Deputy Party Secretary, Acting District Mayor, District Mayor, and later Party Secretary of Pinggu District.[6]
In 2013, Qiu was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Executive Deputy Secretary of its Political and Legal Affairs Commission. Between 2013 and 2014, he also served as Party Secretary of the Beijing State Security Bureau. In 2016, he attended a mid-career training program at the Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party.[7]
In January 2017, Qiu was appointed president and Party Secretary of the Shanxi Higher People's Court.[8] In October 2018, he was appointed Party Secretary of Peking University at vice-ministerial rank, concurrently serving as Chairman of the University Council and Chairman of the Peking University Education Foundation.[9]
From June 2022 to March 2023, Qiu served as Vice Chairperson of the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the 13th National People's Congress. He was a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and a delegate to the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.[10]