China has rubbished the charge of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama that it was "deliberately annihilating Buddhism" in Tibet, saying that religion was being practised without any hindrance in the region, knonw as the Roof of the World.
Attributing ulterior political motives as the reason behind the Tibetan monk's allegations, the official Xinhua news agency said most monasteries and Buddhist temples were conducting their religious activities unhindered.
"In monasteries, monks freely conduct religious practice and learn scriptures. But monks are Chinese citizens as well. That's why they need to receive patriotic education. It is a normal practice," Kelzang Yeshe, research fellow with China Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted as saying.
In his speech marking the 51th anniversary of the "Tibetan National Uprising Day" in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala, the seat of his government-in-exile, the Dalai Lama accused Beijing of trying to deliberately "annihilate Buddhism" in Tibet by conducting a campaign of re-education in monasteries there.
"Today, the Chinese authorities are conducting various political campaigns, including a campaign of patriotic re-education in many monasteries in Tibet," he said.
He also expressed concern over the "damage" to Tibetan culture and language, besides the natural environment of the Tibet plateau. He also said that the Chinese government was "putting the monks and nuns under prison-like conditions depriving them of the opportunity to study and practise in peace."
Beijing considers Tibet an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and sees the Dalai Lama as the head of a secessionist movement.
The Dalai Lama, who heads the government-in-exile from Dharmsala in the north-western Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, says he only wants some form of autonomy for Tibet that would allow its culture, language and religion to thrive.
China reopened talks with the Dalai Lama's envoys for the first time in 15 months in January, but was incensed over President Obama meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate in the Whie House last month.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.