Nepal pushes Tibet conference online amid reports of Chinese pressure

An international conference on Tibet scheduled to be held in Nepal has been moved online after Kathmandu University withdrew as its host, triggering questions over whether pressure from China influenced the decision.

The International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS) conference was scheduled for August 23-29 and had been in preparation for around four years. It was expected to bring scholars from across the world to Kathmandu to discuss Tibetan history, language, culture, religion, art and society.

Nepal’s government has denied ordering the cancellation, saying the organisers decided on their own to move the event online. However, officials cited by The Kathmandu Post said senior government officials intervened after concerns were raised by China, while Nepal’s security agencies had not recommended cancelling the conference.

What happened to the Tibet conference?

Kathmandu University had been preparing to convene the conference but was asked to withdraw from hosting it, according to organisers. The university subsequently stepped back, leaving IATS to decide whether the event would continue online and whether another venue could be found.

Nepal’s Chief Secretary Govinda Bahadur Karkee acknowledged that the government had discussed the conference with university officials. He said authorities advised organisers that holding the event could create sensitivities and security concerns.

However, the head of a security agency told AFP that officials had examined the conference from several angles but had not recommended cancelling it. The plan was instead to continue monitoring the event.

The reported intervention also came shortly after Home Minister Sudan Gurung had publicly indicated that the conference would not be cancelled and that participants would instead undergo security checks.

China pressure enters the picture

The reversal has fuelled speculation about China’s role. According to officials cited by the Post, Chinese diplomatic efforts intensified after registration for the conference closed in June.

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming met Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai on July 21 to discuss the conference. Officials familiar with the meeting said the ambassador did not directly demand cancellation but raised concerns about participants who could make statements supporting Tibet.

A Chinese religious figure and political adviser, Venerable Master Yinshun, also visited Nepal on July 29 and reportedly discussed the conference during his trip.

The developments were followed by the withdrawal of several Tibetan experts from the Tibetan Policy Institute in India.

One Nepalese official cited by the Post said the conference had effectively become a test of Kathmandu’s balancing act between China and the West, with the government choosing to ease Beijing’s concerns.

Organisers reject China-related concerns

Organisers have argued that the conference was an academic event rather than a political gathering. They said Nepal had been selected to host it in 2022 and that around 100 Chinese scholars and experts were also expected to attend.

Participants from Chinese institutions, including Peking University and the China Tibetology Research Centre, had registered for the event. Organisers also said they had assured Nepalese authorities that the conference would not be used for pro-Tibet or anti-China activism.

IATS, founded at the University of Oxford in 1979, describes itself as an organisation without political affiliation.

The dispute comes at a sensitive time. Nepal hosts thousands of Tibetan refugees and has longstanding cultural and religious links with Tibet, while China is its second-largest trading partner after India.

Nepal’s delicate balancing act

The conference controversy highlights the difficult position Nepal occupies between its two large neighbours.

China has consistently opposed international activities it views as challenging its sovereignty over Tibet. Nepal, meanwhile, has sought to maintain close economic and political ties with Beijing while managing its relationship with India and Western countries.

The issue has gained further sensitivity following protests by Tibetans against China’s new Ethnic Unity Law, which came into effect on July 1.

Despite the conference being moved online, a Chinese delegation linked to the event is still expected to visit Nepal later this month. A five-member delegation led by Chinese political figure Jiang Jianguo is scheduled to arrive on August 18 for a three-day visit.

The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has not publicly responded to questions about its alleged role in the conference decision.