Chinese and US Tibet experts exchange ideas

Both China and Western nations should exchange more views on the development of the Tibet autonomous region, while maintaining an open mind, a key to better mutual understanding, a delegation of visiting Chinese Tibetologists told experts on Monday.

As part of Beijing's broader efforts to promote more international communication over the social and economic progress of the region, the group - including the renowned Tibetan photographer Wang Jiu Duo Ji, the Tibetology experts Zha Luo and Hu Yan - held discussions with Washington Post journalists and US experts on China on a wide range of topics about Tibet during a three-day visit in the capital.

For most of the visitors, it was their first time meeting representatives from the US media and Washington think tanks. Indeed, by all accounts, the exchange brought them a new degree of perspectives to their studies.

"The US experts have really good knowledge about Tibet, and we have common concerns over some issues," Hu Yan, a Tibetan history professor with the Party School of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China, told reporters.

Though he expressed the belief that many members of the US media, regional experts and intellectuals still possess biased views on certain Tibetan issues - such as the conservation of local cultural and religious heritage - Chinese people, for their part, should also have more open attitudes toward differing opinions, Hu said.

Zha Luo, an associate research fellow and assistant director at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said that inadequate information about Tibet is one of the main reasons that lead to prejudices and misunderstandings among the Westerners regarding Tibet issues.

"Our study and research are not strong in some topics, and we should improve our academic studies," said Zha.

Wang Jiu Duo Ji, the 61-year-old Tibetan photographer, brought some of his photo collections depicting the life of Tibetan people to demonstrate the social changes of the society.

"The photos are very convincing examples of the achievements over the past decades," he said.

"If possible," he added, "more American photographers are welcome to my hometown."

The English-language version of his album on the life of two Tibetan generations will be released next year, he added.

The group has already visited Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa in Canada and New York in the United States.

Source: China Daily