Tibetology is key to China shaping global views on the region, top official says

Li Ganjie, head of the United Front Work Department, emphasises the role that academia plays in ‘discourse power’

Chinese academics specialising in Tibet must find more creative ways to shape the global conversation about the region while remaining strictly aligned with the Communist Party’s ideology.

That was the message Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, had for researchers who gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of the China Tibetology Research Centre on Wednesday.

According to state news agency Xinhua, Li said that the international situation was “volatile” and Tibet and Tibetan-speaking areas in other provinces were at “a critical stage” in their stability and development.

Tibetan studies was vital in “enhancing China’s international discourse power on Tibet-related matters”, he said, calling on Tibetologists to “strengthen theoretical guidance” and improve “strategic awareness”.

The centre is China’s biggest institution for Tibetan studies and the department oversees the party’s external influence efforts as well as religion and ethnic affairs within China.

For Beijing, Tibet is the most important issue in religious and ethnic minority affairs.