Latest news with #TibetanBuddhists
Sky News AU
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'We never interfere': China denies allegations of foreign interference after AFP charges Chinese national in Canberra over collecting information
China has claimed it "never interferes" in other countries' internal affairs after the Australian Federal Police charged a Chinese woman over allegedly covertly collecting information about a Canberra Buddhist association on behalf of a foreign principal. While Buddhists are widely recognised in China, there is evidence of significant persecution and restrictions, particularly against Tibetan Buddhists. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun vehemently denied allegations of China's foreign interference and claimed the superpower developed "relations with other countries, including Australia, on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference". "We are not familiar with the specifics," Mr Guo said after being asked about the arrest of the Chinese citizen in Australia under 'foreign interference' law. "Let me say more broadly that China develops relations with other countries, including Australia, on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of others. "We never interfere in other countries' internal affairs, and in the meanwhile, firmly oppose any disruption to the normal people-to-people interactions, exchanges and cooperation between China and relevant country under the pretext of foreign interference." Mr Guo said China would follow the case "closely" and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals. Despite the Chinese official's claims of non-interference, Beijing has long history of foreign espionage and political meddling. In 2018, it was revealed the Chinese Communist Party was attempting to influence Australian politics, business and education through its United Front Work Department. The parliament heard that Australia's university sector was the frontline for Chinese influence through students and scholars associations. The Turnbull government then passed the Espionage and Foreign Interference Bill, the same piece of legislation used to charge the Chinese woman in Canberra on the weekend. In an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia's Cheng Lei, former Chinese spy, Eric, hailed the arrest, saying it was important Australian authorities worked to counter Beijing's efforts to gather intelligence and exert influence at the community level. Asked whether the woman was acting alone or as part of a larger network of spies, Eric suggested evidence provided by the AFP pointed to the former - although he also warned Beijing had likely established a "large" presence in Australia. Commenting on the CCP's objectives more broadly, the former spy explained foreign agents had two main aims when conducting operations. "The CCP's spying in Australia takes place in two tracks. One is to quieten criticism against the Chinese government, to ensure its governance security, another is in geopolitics, that may include business, technology, military intel," he said. AFP Assistant Commissioner for Counterterrorism and Special Investigations Stephen Nutt said the woman, who was arrested on Saturday, faced a maximum of 15 years imprisonment. 'Foreign interference is a serious crime that undermines democracy and social cohesion,' Assistant Commissioner Nutt said. The AFP Assistant Commissioner said Australia was 'not immune' to espionage and did not expect this arrest to prevent further attempts to target diaspora communities living in Australia. Assistant Commissioner Nutt said the 'best defence' was an increase in community awareness and reporting of suspicious activity. He said the AFP was not dealing with the Chinese embassy as part of its investigation and flagged investigators were planning for more arrests.
IOL News
05-08-2025
- IOL News
Exploring the significance of the Dalai Lama's reincarnation in Xijang
Visitors throng to the Potala Palace, in Lhasa in China's Xijang Autonomous Region, the Winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 17th century. Image: Kuben Chetty At an altitude of close to 3,800 meters, Lhasa, which sits on the Tibetan Plateau in China's Xijang Autonomous Region, is one of the highest cities in the world and will take your breath away. Xijang has found itself at the centre of unwanted narratives perpetuated by those with an agenda, as it is home to a community of seven million Tibetan Buddhists, and it is the spiritual and physical seat of power for the Dalai Lama. This agenda has created a narrative of persecution, violation of human rights, and the lack of autonomy, but to the critical observer, Xijang is a province rich in diversity, spirituality, growth, development, and, in keeping with the rest of the country, equality for all its citizens. The spectacular outdoor auditorium show Princess Wincheng in Lhasa, tells the story of Songsten Gampo and his marriage to his Han wife Princess Wencheng, the most famous and beloved queen in Tibetan history, with Princess Bhrikuti for Nepal. The show highlights the historical importance, for young and old, of the significance of Tibetan Buddhism in Xijang and China. Image: Kuben Chetty Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading At the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Lhasa is Potala Palace, the Winter home of the Dalai Lama since the 17th century, which symbolises Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Xijang. This 'palace in the sky' is a daily visiting place for thousands of pilgrims who make the high altitude walk to make offerings and prayers. Jokhang Temple, another remarkable symbol of Tibetan Buddhism, was originally built more than 1,300 years ago by King Songsten Gampo. The building was established to house the Jowo Mikyo Dorje, a statue of Akshobhya Buddha, brought to Tibet by his Nepalese queen, Bhrikuti. Another statue, the Jowo Shakyamuni, brought by his Tang Chinese queen Wencheng, is currently housed in the temple. The Jowo Mikyo Dorje is currently housed in the Ramoche in Lhasa. Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple are both stellar examples of the rich history of Tibetan Buddhism in China and illustrates the historic relationship between China and the Tibetan religion. Far from fading away, China's growth and development have spurred on Tibetan culture, allowing it to be central to artistic expression, modern storytelling, and emerging cultural economies. Contrary to the assertions made by some media outlets that the Tibetan way of life is on the verge of disappearing, that children are being forced to abandon their mother tongue, and that assimilation threatens a spiritual and traditional way of life, Xijang and its people are representative of inclusiveness and prosperity that celebrate centuries of tradition. The succession debate around the next Dalai Lama has warranted intense discussion, but China remains adamant that issues around the reincarnation process will be managed by the country's laws and consensus of the whole Tibetan Buddhist community, as well as their followers. Xijang's history: from serfdom, slavery, and no human rights to peaceful liberation Before its peaceful liberation in 1951, Xizang experienced the atrocities of what was a feudal serfdom, followed by imperialistic oppression. Feudal serfdom violated human dignity, and serfs and slaves, who made up more than 95% of the total population, possessed nothing and were dependent on the elites in society in exchange for unconditionally obeying their orders and satisfying their demands. Serf owners could trade, transfer, bestow, and exchange serfs and slaves as they pleased, and any defiance of this could result in torture. After the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century, the United Kingdom invaded Xizang on two separate occasions, posing a threat to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This was a violation of the local people including their right to subsistence and their social and economic rights. In Beijing in 1951, the Central People's Government and the local government of Xizang signed the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Xizang on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Xizang. The agreement marked the peaceful liberation of the region, freeing Xizang from imperialist aggression and political and economic control. It effectively safeguarded the national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of China, and created the necessary conditions for Xizang to progress and develop along with the rest of the country, laying firm foundations for the region's human rights cause in the process. Visitors shop at the historic Potala Palace in Lhasa in the Xijang Autonomous Region. Image: Kuben Chetty The strengthening of Xijang culture In March this year, the Communist Party of China published a document titled "Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era" about $67 million from the central government, and the government of Xizang was earmarked for the protection of several Tibetan traditions that already enjoy global recognition. Tibetan oral tradition "Gesar", Tibetan Opera, and the Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa of Xizang have been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The white paper also added that courses on both standard Chinese and Tibetan are taught in primary and secondary schools in Xizang. Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed that areas with large ethnic minority populations should preserve their distinctive culture and let it shine through the integrated development of culture and tourism. According to the document: 'Since the peaceful liberation of Xizang in 1951, the CPC has united the people of all ethnic groups in the region and led them in an unremitting fight to institutionalise, respect, protect and expand human rights. 'Their rights to subsistence and development and all other basic rights have been guaranteed and are being progressively improved.' Reform and opening up has helped not only unleash and develop productive forces across Xizang, but also provide a powerful driving force for human rights in the region. As a result, Xizang has achieved synchronous development with the rest of the country, while at the same time making rapid progress in all aspects of its human rights. The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama's reincarnation is a central tenet of Tibetan Buddhism, and the spiritual leader's reincarnation must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, with search and identification conducted in China and approved by the central government. At 90, the current Dalai Lama has controversially announced that he will have a successor after his death, and that his office will have the sole authority to identify his reincarnation. But according to Professor Li Dicheng, the deputy director general and researcher at the China Tibetology Research Centre, the search for the living Buddha must take place within China. 'The first principle is that the reincarnated Dalai Lama must be found in the area where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced, and succession must be approved by the central government. 'The search for the living Buddha must respect the feelings of the followers of Tibetan Buddhism…at present, there are seven million Tibetan Buddhism followers living in China, and all those important Tibetan monasteries are located within China. 'So, if you want to respect the feelings of the Tibetan Buddhism followers, the search for the living Buddha has to be within China,' Li said. Construction workers busy with a refurbishment project at Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 17th century. Earlier this year, about $67 million from the central government and the government of Xizang was earmarked for the protection of several Tibetan traditions that already enjoy global recognition. Image: Kuben Chetty He said another principle is the issue of sovereignty, and the search for the living Buddha belongs to the internal affairs of the Chinese government. 'That is why the search must be carried out in accordance with laws and regulations, as it is also a symbol of the Chinese authority, and if someone wants to find the living Buddha outside China, then that will be difficult.' Li said, according to the measures for the management of the reincarnation of the living Buddha, the search must be carried out in accordance with religious rituals, historic conventions, and the search must take place within China. 'If they do not follow these rules, then the process is illegal.'
Sky News AU
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Chinese national charged with foreign interference by AFP in Canberra as ASIO boss warns ‘we are watching'
A Chinese national has been charged with foreign interference by Australian Federal Police in Canberra. According to the AFP, the Chinese national was covertly collecting information about the Canberra branch of the Buddhist association Guan Yin Citta. While Buddhists are widely recognised in China, there is evidence of significant persecution and restrictions, particularly against Tibetan Buddhists. AFP Assistant Commissioner for Counterterrorism and Special Investigations Stephen Nutt said the woman was arrested on Saturday and faces a maximum of 15 years imprisonment. 'Foreign interference is a serious crime that undermines democracy and social cohesion,' Assistant Commissioner Nutt said. The AFP Assistant Commissioner said Australia was 'not immune' to espionage and did not expect this arrest to prevent further attempts to target diaspora communities living in Australia. Assistant Commissioner Nutt said the 'best defence' was an increase in community awareness and reporting of suspicious activity. 'The AFP and our partners are working closely with diaspora communities and to help protect them from this criminality,' he said. 'At a time of permanent regional contest, offenders will attempt to spy on individuals, groups and institutions in Australia.' Assistant Commissioner Nutt said the AFP was not dealing with the Chinese embassy as part of its investigation and flagged investigators were planning for more arrests. The AFP second in command said the 'menacing' aspect of foreign interference was that it was 'unclear' how the information gathered by operatives would be used. The arrest was made just two days after ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess delivered a chilling address concerning "unprecedented" foreign espionage which had cost Australia at least $12.5 billion in one year. Mr Burgess said the kind of foreign interference alleged in this case was an 'appalling assault on Australian values, freedoms and sovereignty'. 'Anyone who thinks it is acceptable to monitor, intimidate and potentially repatriate members of our diaspora communities should never underestimate our capabilities and resolve,' he said. 'In this year's Annual Threat Assessment, I called out these types of activities and put perpetrators on notice by stating, 'we are watching, and we have zero tolerance.'' During his address, Mr Burgess said Australians would be 'genuinely shocked' by the number of countries which were attempting to steal Australia's secrets. 'The obvious candidates are very active – I've previously named China, Russia and Iran – but many other countries are also targeting anyone and anything that could give them a strategic or tactical advantage, including sensitive but unclassified information,' Mr Burgess said.
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BJP MP raises demand in Lok Sabha for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao on Wednesday (July 30, 2025) asked the Central government to confer India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, on the Dalai Lama – the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists. He raised the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, where he described the Dalai Lama as a 'messenger of non violence and compassion.' 'India is the land of non-violence. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a messenger of non-violence and compassion. The government of India should recognise his contributions by awarding him the Bharat Ratna,' Mr Gao said. He added that the Dalai Lama, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday on July 6 had made 'unparalleled contributions not just to Buddhism but also to humanity as a whole.' Symbol of peace 'Today, the Dalai Lama is not just a religious figure but also a symbol of peace across the world. His teachings have shaped generations and he deserves the Bharat Ratna,' the MP said. The Dalai Lama marked his 90th birthday with the declaration that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will decide his successor, a statement that drew an adverse reaction from the Chinese government. The Chinese government, in a statement, had said, 'The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other great Buddhist figures must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government.' Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju had endorsed the Dalai Lama's position, but the Indian government had said that the 'Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion.' This is not the first time that the demand for a Bharat Ratna to the Dalai Lama has come up. Another BJP MP, Sujeet Kumar from Odisha, who is part of the All India Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, had told The Hindu that he was collecting support from parliamentarians across party lines to present the demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. By mid July they had collected 80 signatures in support of the move.
ABC News
24-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-most-important leader, not seen in 30 years
On a Sunday in May 1995, a six-year-old boy was publicly identified as the second-most-important person in Tibetan Buddhism. Three days later, he was disappeared by China's communist authorities. Thirty years on, the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family are still unknown. Gedhun went missing after the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, had named him as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama. The 10th Panchen Lama, Chökyi Gyaltsen, had died six years earlier in 1989 — the year of Gedhun's birth. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities decried Gedhun's selection as invalid and illegal. They chose their own Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, who many Tibetan Buddhists refuse to recognise and refer to as an impostor. Gedhun's disappearance remains deeply felt, three decades later. His role would have included identifying the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. Now, thanks to the current one, it is going to be more difficult for that process to be hijacked by the CCP. Little is known about Gedhun. He came from a remote district of central Tibet called Nagchu. "He was born in an ordinary family, and all we have is one photo of him as a six-year-old boy," says Kyinzom Dhongdue, a Tibetan human rights activist and former member of the Tibetan government in exile. That singular photo of Gedhun, and all images of the Dalai Lama, are prohibited in China's Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). In the south of the TAR is the Tashi Lhunpo monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. It was here that Gedhun would have been based had he not been swept away by Chinese authorities. Before he had been identified as the Panchen Lama, there were already fears that the CCP would interfere with the traditional processes of selecting the spiritual leaders of Tibetan Buddhism. And so, the search for the 11th Panchen Lama was conducted in great secrecy. Due to this, the exact details of Gedhun's recognition are limited. Some were revealed by the Dalai Lama in his recently published book. He wrote that at the end of 1994, he was given "a carefully selected list of more than 20 candidates" from Jadrel Rinpoche, the abbot of Tashi Lhunpo. "He and his search team considered one of these candidates, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, to be the true incarnation," the Dalai Lama wrote. The Dalai Lama said his divinations and consultations with oracles had confirmed the search party's choice of Panchen Lama. He said that information was originally passed on to Jadrel confidentially. Eventually, it became clear he had no choice but to announce it publicly. "In March 1995, the Chinese government insisted that three to five names be placed in a golden urn for selection by lot, rather than approve the correct reincarnation," the Dalai Lama wrote. "This put me in an impossible position … I came to the conclusion that I needed to share with the Tibetan Buddhists around the world the result of my own divinations on the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. "Unfortunately, the fallout was terrible — Jadrel Rinpoche was imprisoned for six years, and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery was subjected to serious harassment, including the arrest of more than 30 monks." Three days later, Gedhun disappeared, believed to be the youngest political prisoner in the world. The Dalai Lama has described his whereabouts as "perhaps … one of the best-kept secrets in the history of the Chinese Communist Party". "I have been told by some Chinese, one of them in fact quite a knowledgeable person, that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima has been living under a form of house arrest within the compound of a military base somewhere in mainland China," he said. According to the Dalai Lama, the location and wellbeing of Jadrel was also unknown. In May 1996, a year after Gedhun's disappearance, Thomas Hammarberg from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child asked for information about Gedhun's location and status. Then-ambassador of China to the UN, Wu Jianmin, told the committee Beijing had granted a request from the boy's parents for government protection, and he was "living with his parents in good conditions". Mr Wu claimed the Dalai Lama had violated tradition by appointing the boy from overseas, and separatists were seeking to kidnap him, leading his parents to fear for his safety. Then, in May 2020, just days after the 25th anniversary of his disappearance, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Gedhun had "received free compulsory education when he was a child, passed the college entrance examination, and now has a job". The spokesperson said the then-31-year-old and his family were living "normal lives" and wished not to be disturbed. Tibet's government in exile, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), issued a blistering statement at the time calling the response "half-hearted and nonchalant" and urged the international community to pressure Beijing for details of his whereabouts. Australia Tibet Council executive office Zoe Bedford said there was no way to be confident that Gedhun was alive until his wellbeing had been verified by an independent organisation. After Gedhun and his family disappeared, Beijing prioritised a different method to pick a new Panchen Lama, using a golden urn to pick a name in a lottery of sorts. The Chinese-chosen and endorsed Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, whose parents were members of the CCP, according to the Dalai Lama, is seen as a purely political figure by many Tibetan Buddhists. Gyaltsen Norbu met Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month, vowing to continue "the sinicisation of religion", commit to Mr Xi's teachings, and support the CCP leadership, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. "He is a Tibetan, but he is a puppet for the Chinese government," Kyinzom Dhongdue said. "He is not accepted by the people, and that will be the fate if China does install a fake Dalai Lama." It was with this in mind that earlier this month, the Dalai Lama made his determination that only his office, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, had authority to choose his successor. Not Gyaltsen Norbu, nor the CCP via their golden urn. Beijing rejected it on the same day. "The reincarnation of the great living Buddhas such as the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama must be identified by drawing lots from the golden urn and approved by the central government," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. "The sinicisation of religion is not a restriction on religion; the survival and development of any religion needs to adapt to the country's social environment and cultural traditions." Many Tibetan Buddhists believe it is now critical to pressure the Chinese government to release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family. "China has been preparing for this, to interfere in the Dalai Lama's reincarnation," Kyinzom Dhongdue said. "It's important for the Australian government to publicly affirm that Tibetan Buddhists, and Tibetan Buddhists alone, have the right to determine their own religious freedom and religious leaders. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canberra accused the Dalai Lama of being a political figure advocating for Tibet's independence. "His purpose is to split China and engage in political hype," they said in a statement. They said Gedhun was not the Panchen Lama — just an ordinary Chinese citizen. "He and his family do not want their normal life to be disturbed by others," the statement said. "China firmly opposes certain countries and forces' interference in China's internal affairs under the pretext of 'religious freedom'."
