Tibetan cultural delegation in Germany to boost exchanges

A Chinese cultural delegation from the country's Tibet Autonomous Region attended a seminar here on Wednesday to deepen exchanges with Germans.

Hao Shiyuan, assistant to the president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and head of the delegation, said they strived to promote understanding between the two sides and introduce Tibet to Germans.

Delivering a speech on cultural and historical background of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Hao explained to the audience why the practice of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities should be carried out in Tibet.

The scholar emphasized that there should be no double standards concerning the Tibet issue by Western countries.

When answering questions from locals, Hao said he understood the Germans' eagerness to communicate and exchange ideas with the Chinese side, although they barely knew China'a policy on Tibet.

During the seminar hosted by the Munich Confucius Institute, Duo Erji from China Tibetology Research Center also elaborated efforts made to protect the indigenous culture in Tibet.

Prior to the seminar, the delegation met representatives of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and welcomed a Tibetan-German dictionary project carried out by the academy.

Knowing that the Bavarian side had never contacted Tibetan scholars, the delegation offered to supply needed materials.

The Chinese delegation arrived in the city of Hamburg on Monday, where they met local councilmen and introduced to them China's Tibet policy as well as social, economic and cultural development there.

After leaving Germany on Thursday, the delegation will head for Austria and Switzerland. Endi