(TibetanReview.net, Apr23’26) – China’s top Party leader responsible for minority and religious affairs has toured the historically Tibetan regions of Gansu and Sichuan provinces from Apr 18 to 22 to supervise the enforcement of the recently adopted, much-criticised law on so-called ethnic unity, calling for the governance of religious affairs and guiding Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to a socialist society.
Li Ganjie, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a research tour in the western provinces of Gansu and Sichuan, reported China’s state news agency Xinhua Apr 23.
The historically Tibetan regions of Gansu include Kanlho (Chinese: Gannan) Prefecture and Pari (Tianzhu) County in Wuwei prefecture while those in Sichuan include Kardze (Ganzi) and Ngaba (Aba) Prefectures.
Strengthening political supervision of the management of religious centres and education in patriotism, giving primary importance to learning Mandarin, and eventually teaching Tibetan Buddhism in this official Chinese language are some of the underlying meaning of Li’s call.
The report said the trip took Li to Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, where he learned about their law-based standardized management. He also visited a Buddhist college in Gansu and the Center for Tibetan Studies of Sichuan University to investigate religious education systems, the training of Buddhist monks, and Tibetology research.
While talking to people of different ethnic groups, Li has emphasized the need to uphold the Party’s leadership over religious work, develop religions in the Chinese context, and strengthen and improve the management of monasteries.
Li was also stated to have highlighted the importance of enhancing the education, training, and management of representative figures in Tibetan Buddhism, and guiding religious figures to resolutely safeguard national reunification and ethnic unity.
He has also called for efforts to run religious institutions well, establish and effectively utilize Tibetology research institutions, advance research on Tibetan Buddhism, and continuously improve the capabilities of officials engaged in religious work.
The emphasis on the use of Tibetology research institutions is meant to encourage the fabrication of false or distorted historical narratives “showing” Tibetan Buddhism to be part of Chinese Buddhism.