The three-day Nanhai Buddhism Shenzhen Roundtable kicked off in Kathmandu on Friday as over 220 Chinese Buddhist monks also arrived in Lumbini, the Buddha’s birthplace, on the same day.

“Warmly welcome over 220 Chinese Buddists and practitioners arriving on a international chartered flight to Gautam Buddha International Airport in Lumbini,” Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song wrote on the social media platform X. The ambassador claimed this to be the largest ever passenger arrivals from the north at the airport which was built by Chinese contractors and funded by the Asian Development Bank.

“Kicking start a new round of Buddhist cultural exchanges between Nepal and China,” wrote envoy Chen.

It was keenly watched whether the China-backed Panchen Lama, whose name is Gyaincain Norbu, would make a surprise landing in Lumbini to attend a special Puja scheduled for Saturday.

“But he did not arrive,” Lharkyal Lama, vice-chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust, told the Post. Other monks who arrived on Friday from Beijing will participate in a special Puja on Saturday evening on the Maya Devi temple premises. Beijing has projected Panchen Lama as the successor to Dalai Lama, a characterisation rejected by Western countries as well as Tibetans refugees in exile.

Earlier too, both Lamas were trying to visit Nepal but successive governments didn’t permit them to come to Nepal and Lumbini.

Earlier, Lama was reportedly preparing to use a chartered flight from Beijing to Kathmandu to attend the special function scheduled to be organised on Saturday in Lumbini. When the information of his possible arrival was leaked, the government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote a diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu to make sure that the Panchen Lama is not coming.

The government also made it clear that due to the sensitivity attached to his visit, it cannot permit him to visit Nepal. The Chinese Embassy responded to the foreign ministry that “it is also sensitive towards Nepal’s concerns” so there was no plan to bring him to Nepal.

The government faced a lot of external and internal pressure against hosting Lama as it goes against Nepal's stated policy of ‘non-alignment’ and “maintaining religious neutrality and respecting all religions and sects”.

Rigorous checks were conducted on every passenger of the chartered flight because the Lama might hold various names and identities and possess multiple passports. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation gave the approval to organise the religious functions in Lumbini and in Kathmandu under the banner of Nanhai Buddhism Round Table-2024.

On Friday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the Nanhai Buddhism Shenzhen Roundtable in Kathmandu.

“We do not know why the prime minister addressed such an event that does not hold much significance,” a senior official at the prime minister’s office said.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Secretariat of the Nanhai Buddhism Shenzhen Roundtable for organising this remarkable forum and for inviting me to share my reflections,” said the prime minister. “The culmination of eight successful episodes of the Nanhai Buddhism Roundtable speaks to the enduring dedication of this platform towards safeguarding peace, fostering cultural exchanges, and nurturing the symphony of civilisations.

“Today, as the ninth chapter unfolds here in Kathmandu, I am confident that it will deepen the bonds of friendship, inspire mutual learning, and advocate the eternal values of peace, compassion, and cooperation among Buddhist communities in Nepal, China, and beyond.

This gathering holds particular significance as it takes place in Nepal, the sacred birthplace of Gautam Buddha, said the prime minister. “This land, blessed by his footsteps, symbolises a timeless bridge between the Buddhist heritage of Nepal and China, reflecting a profound spiritual and cultural connection that has flourished through centuries,” said Oli.

Oli also talked about Nepal-China relations in his address saying that the countries share more than just borders as the neighbours are bound by the timeless tapestry of history, the majestic embrace of mountains, the life-giving flow of rivers, and the profound richness of cultures.

Buddhism has been the luminous thread that weaves together the spiritual and cultural fabric of the two nations, fostering an enduring bond of harmony and understanding, said the prime minister. “From the ancient journeys of the Chinese monks Fa Xian and Xuan Zang to Nepal, to the enlightening visit of Nepali scholar Buddhabhadra to China, our shared history is replete with exchanges of wisdom and learning,” he added.

The architectural marvels of Nepali-style Buddhist temples in China and the grandeur of the Zhong Hua Chinese Buddhist Monastery in Lumbini stand as eternal monuments to this enduring connection, said Oli.

“It fills my heart with pride to acknowledge the role of Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal, a beacon of knowledge dedicated to Buddhist studies. The collaborative engagements between this institution and the Nanhai Buddhist Academy in China exemplify the spirit of partnership and shared aspiration.

In his address to the monks from China, Thailand and Cambodia, the prime minister expressed his confidence that these bonds will grow stronger in the days to come, enriching the legacy of our shared heritage.