The upcoming 17th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, to be held in Kathmandu from August 23 to 29, is attracting growing diplomatic attention as Beijing is sending one of its top Buddhist monks to Kathmandu on Wednesday.

The Chinese side had earlier expressed concerns about the seminar. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming met Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai last Tuesday to discuss the event.

After the meeting, both the foreign ministry and Chinese officials approached senior officials at Kathmandu University (KU) and asked them to disclose details of the event, a KU official told the Post, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, Beijing is sending Venerable Master Yinshun, who is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and former vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and abbot of the Chinese Temple of Nepal, to Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Shi is a well-known Chinese monk in Nepal and visited Kathmandu multiple times in the past.

“At a time when Beijing has been expressing concern over the upcoming event, it is sending its top monks to Kathmandu,” a senior government official told the Post, adding that Beijing has not disclosed the purpose of the visit.

According to security sources, Shi will be accompanied by Sun Jinghao, Pan Jinghui, Cui Zikun, Cheng Donghao, Lu Kexu, Wang Jianfeng and Han Wei.

“Such a major event definitely has drawn attention, so Beijing may have decided to send him for that reason,” the government official said.

Organisers, meanwhile, said they are puzzled by the level of concern shown by the Chinese government and its multiple agencies, especially when dozens of Chinese scholars and experts of Tibetan art, culture, literature, history and other related fields are also set to attend the event.

During his meeting with Foreign Secretary Rai, Ambassador Zhang had raised concerns that the event could be used by supporters of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, according to the official.

The envoy reportedly said some individuals could make remarks critical of China and supportive of Tibet, and urged Nepali authorities to ensure that no such things happen.

We are also surprised to see the amount of attention being paid by the Chinese side to the event, Professor Sagar Sharma who is one of the conveners of the event told the Post.

According to the website of the International Association of Tibetan Studies, the seminar will be organised jointly by the Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies, Kathmandu University (HiCAS, KU); and the Kathmandu University Centre for Buddhist Studies at Rangjung Yeshe Institute (KU-CBS at RYI). The conveners are Prof Sharma (HiCAS) and Prof Thomas Doctor (KU-CBS at RYI).

“This event has nothing to do with the change of government in Kathmandu,” Sharma told the Post, adding, “The organisers decided back in 2022 to hold the conference in Nepal. The Chinese government has long been aware of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, and its activities, and many Chinese experts and scholars have attended previous conferences. This year too, dozens of Chinese scholars and experts are participating,” Prof Sharma told the Post.

Around 700 delegates from 39 countries will attend the event, according to Sharma.

Those who registered for the conference had to pay $360 for early registration and $440 for late registration, the Post has learnt. Registration closed on June 15.

The largest delegation is coming from the US, followed by China. However, Sharma said the final list of participants has yet to be confirmed.

As per the itinerary, the opening Ceremony will be held at Kathmandu University’s Dhulikhel campus, and the rest of the programmes will be held at Hotel Soaltee in Kathmandu.

The board members of the International Association for Tibetan Studies are Daniel Berounský (Czech Republic), Geshe Nyima Woser Choekhortshang Rinpoche (Nepal), Hildegard Diemberger (Austria), Dorji Wangchuk (Bhutan), Iwao Kazushi (Japan). Lama Jabb (UK), Pema Choedon (Norway), Karma Phuntsho (Bhutan), Françoise Pommaret (France), Jarmila Ptáčková (Czech Republic), Françoise Robin (France), Ulrike Roesler (UK) and Yudru Tsomu (China).

Formally established in 1979 at the University of Oxford, it operates as a non-political academic body dedicated to advancing research in Tibetan history, religion, linguistics, and art.