The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)—the Dharamshala-headquartered Tibetan government-in-exile—has officially decided not to send formal representatives to the upcoming international Tibet studies conference in Kathmandu, following diplomatic pressure from Beijing.
The 17th International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS) conference is scheduled to be held from August 23 to 29. Initially, the CTA planned to send a five-member delegation from its think tank, the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), led by TPI Director Dawa Tsering. The planned delegation also included researchers Dr. Chewang Dorjee, Dr. Chering Dolma, Dr. Karma Tenzin Daliya, and Dr. Rigmon Chering Samduk.
While preliminary registration lists reflect adjustments following China's intervention, security sources confirm that Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Zhang Maoming, met with Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai on July 21 to express strong reservations. Ambassador Zhang raised concerns that the participation of exiled Tibetan officials could lead to anti-China rhetoric during the academic event.
A high-ranking security official stated, "Although the ambassador did not ask to cancel the conference entirely, he raised concerns that anti-China expressions might arise. Perhaps to ensure the Nepal government does not face heavy pressure and the conference succeeds, the CTA decided not to send its representatives."
Despite dropping its official delegation during a meeting in Dharamshala on July 22, the CTA clarified that registered researchers and experts retain the freedom to attend the conference in a personal capacity. Another security official added:
"Respecting the foreign policy of the Nepal government and to avoid any discomfort, the CTA's meeting held in Dharamshala on July 22 decided not to participate officially, but indicated that Tibetan researchers and experts can participate in the conference in an individual capacity."
This landmark event marks the first time Nepal is hosting the IATS conference, following previous Asian host countries Japan in 1989 and Mongolia in 2013. The local co-hosts include the Himalayan Centre for Asian Studies (HICAS) under Kathmandu University and the Centre for Buddhist Studies at Rangjung Yeshe Institute. Conference coordinator Dr. Sagar Sharma emphasized that all preparations are being conducted in close coordination with government and security agencies:
"Kathmandu University is the local organizer of this conference, and we are carrying out all preparations in coordination with government bodies. Hosting such a large world-class conference in Kathmandu is a good thing in itself; since this is purely an academic program, there should be no difficulty."
Interestingly, about a hundred participants from mainland China itself are attending this international conference, in which China has shown a great deal of interest. According to the organizers, out of the more than 700 delegates from 39 countries who registered to participate in the conference, the largest number—around 150—are coming from the United States. In terms of participation, China is the second-largest country.
Researchers from universities ranging from Lhasa, Sichuan, Tsinghua, and Peking in China to Harvard and Columbia in the United States, and Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, will be participating. Similarly, representatives from the China Tibetology Research Center—which conducts research on Tibet in China—along with Buddhist monastery representatives from India, Taiwan, and Japan, are coming to Kathmandu.
The inaugural ceremony of the conference will be held on August 23 at Kathmandu University's Dhulikhel campus. Around 70 panel discussions of the conference will take place at the Soaltee Hotel.
IATS is recognized as an international organization of researchers, university professors, historians, linguists, religious scholars, and social scientists from around the world who study Tibet. Its primary objective is to promote Tibet-related research.
Meanwhile, China views any political activities of the Central Tibetan Administration or the Dalai Lama linked to international conferences concerning the Tibet Autonomous Region as a step against its sovereignty.
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