| The first-ever World Buddhist Forum to take | | | | Beatrice Leung, a professor of politics and |
| place in China opened with more than 1,000 | | | | sociology at Lignan University in Hong Kong |
| Buddhist monks, nuns and scholars from around | | | | and an expert on religion in China, says |
| the globe attending. Not present was the | | | | Beijing continues to see the Dalai Lama as a |
| Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, | | | | threat because of what he represents to |
| whom the Chinese authorities continue to ban. | | | | millions of Buddhists in China. |
| | | | |
| The forum opened with great fanfare in the | | | | "[The] Dalai Lama is an icon of authentic |
| eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou and is seen | | | | religion, in Buddhism, in Tibet. What Dalai |
| by analysts as China's attempt to show it | | | | Lama is really preaching is real religion. |
| fosters religious freedom. | | | | That means what he preaches, he himself |
| | | | practices," she said. |
| Among the speakers on the opening day was the | | | | |
| Panchen Lama, the 16-year-old boy, seldom | | | | She says that holding a Buddhist conference |
| seen in public, that the Chinese Communist | | | | does not necessarily mean that China is |
| authorities have chosen to be the second | | | | taking a significant step toward allowing |
| highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism after the | | | | more religious freedom. She says the |
| Dalai Lama. | | | | communist leadership remains suspicious of |
| | | | any religious activity, especially that which |
| In remarks contained in an official | | | | occurs outside of its supervision. |
| translation, the Panchen Lama said Buddhism | | | | |
| has made a commitment to defend the Chinese | | | | "It is too early to say that China is not |
| nation and society. | | | | willing to open religion," added Leung. "But |
| | | | I think it is also too early to say China is |
| Many Tibetan Buddhists do not recognize the | | | | wholeheartedly opening [to] religion, because |
| Panchen Lama installed by Beijing. | | | | religion is related to ideological problems. |
| | | | China takes religion as a frame of mind for |
| The Dalai Lama recognized a different boy as | | | | any social movement. Look at Falun Gong." |
| Panchen Lama in 1995, but that boy has not | | | | |
| been seen in public since then and Chinese | | | | Falun Gong is a spiritual movement labeled an |
| officials refuse to say where he is. | | | | "evil cult" by the Beijing government. The |
| | | | Chinese authorities systematically crack down |
| The Dalai Lama has been living in exile since | | | | on its members, along with those who practice |
| 1959 when he fled following a revolt against | | | | other faiths outside institutions that are |
| China's takeover of Tibet. China has | | | | not registered with the state. |
| repeatedly refused to allow the spiritual | | | | |
| leader to return, accusing him of working to | | | | Negotiations have been under way recently |
| split Tibet from the rest of China. | | | | between China and the Vatican as both sides |
| | | | try to reach an agreement on the appointing |
| The Dalai Lama has called for greater | | | | of bishops - a key obstacle that has |
| autonomy for Tibet, but not independence. | | | | prevented Beijing from normalizing relations |
| | | | with the Holy See. |