Yesterday the Chinese government officially denied that the Karmapa Lama, currently in exile in India, is a Chinese spy. The Karmapa (the third most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism) has been embroiled in controversy this past week after about $1.5 million in foreign currencies were found in his monastery in Dharamsala last Friday. Chinese yuan was among the cash found and subsequently sparked speculation that the Karmapa might be an agent for the Chinese government.
China: Karmapa Lama not our agent
China fights Tibet propaganda battle with Google Ads
With political arrows still being shot back and forth between Beijing and Dharamsala, China has been panning out its efforts to win the propaganda battle over Tibet, sending teams of Tibetologists to Finland and Italy to 'educate' academics and students on the history and modern development of Tibet. Realising that influencing scholars and historians is not enough, China has also taken the battle into the online arena to reach people like you and I.
Tibet Update: Press freedom, Nancy Pelosi and an ensuing PR battle
Following last week's expulsion of 20 Hong Kong journalists from Lhasa that was roundly criticised by the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Foreign Correspondents Club of China has issued an updated call for China to grant reporters unhindered access to Tibetan areas:
"Reporting interference is not in the interest of the Chinese government which is trying to show a more open, transparent and accountable image to the world," said FCCC President Melinda Liu."more ›
Chaos continues in Dharamsala and Lhasa
We told you about the chaos happening simultaneously in Dharamsala, India and Lhasa, Tibet, and it looks like we're only at the start of something big, very big. Here are snippets of a conversation with a friend who is resident in Lhasa, but has since left the city to live in the countryside till some semblance of stability returns:
"It's like war out there – there are soldiers everywhere"more ›

