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🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

Ahead of Tibetan conference, top Chinese monk is visiting Kathmandu

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • China is sending a high-ranking Buddhist monk to Nepal ahead of an international conference on Tibetan studies in Kathmandu.
  • Beijing has expressed concerns that the event could be used to criticize China or support the Dalai Lama.
  • Organizers are puzzled by the level of Chinese government attention, noting that dozens of Chinese scholars are also attending.

Kathmandu is bracing for diplomatic attention as China dispatches a prominent Buddhist monk to the capital ahead of the 17th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies. The conference, scheduled from August 23 to 29, has already drawn concern from Beijing, with Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming meeting Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai to discuss the event.

At a time when Beijing has been expressing concern over the upcoming event, it is sending its top monks to Kathmandu.

— a senior government officialCommenting on the timing of the visit of Venerable Master Yinshun.

Following the meeting, both the foreign ministry and Chinese officials reportedly approached Kathmandu University (KU) to inquire about the seminar's details. Simultaneously, China is sending Venerable Master Yinshun, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, to Kathmandu. Yinshun is a familiar figure in Nepal, having visited multiple times before.

A senior government official noted the unusual timing of the visit, stating, "At a time when Beijing has been expressing concern over the upcoming event, it is sending its top monks to Kathmandu." The purpose of Yinshun's visit remains undisclosed, though security sources indicate he will be accompanied by several other Chinese officials.

We are also surprised to see the amount of attention being paid by the Chinese side to the event.

— Professor Sagar SharmaA convener of the International Association for Tibetan Studies seminar, expressing puzzlement over Chinese government's concerns.

Organizers expressed surprise at the intense scrutiny from the Chinese government. Professor Sagar Sharma, a convener of the event, stated, "We are also surprised to see the amount of attention being paid by the Chinese side to the event." The seminar, jointly organized by Kathmandu University and the Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies, is expected to draw dozens of Chinese scholars specializing in Tibetan art, culture, literature, and history. Sharma emphasized that the conference, decided upon in 2022, is unrelated to any political changes in Nepal.

This event has nothing to do with the change of government in Kathmandu.

— Professor Sagar SharmaStating that the conference planning began in 2022 and is not linked to current political events.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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