The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is systematically recasting Tibetan Buddhism as 'Chinese Buddhism' in a calculated bid to subordinate religious identity to Party authority, according to a report published in The Tibet Express. The campaign, analysts say, is less a theological exercise and more a sovereignty project — one aimed at ensuring no religious institution commands loyalty that competes with the state.

The Renaming Strategy

Khedroob Thondup, nephew of the Dalai Lama, wrote in The Tibet Express that the relabelling of Tibetan Buddhism reflects a broader ambition to make belief itself a state-controlled resource. 'This is not about theology — it is about sovereignty. Beijing's project is to ensure that no pulpit, monastery, or altar speaks with authority beyond the Party. The renaming of Tibetan Buddhism is a symptom of a deeper ambition: to make belief itself a state-controlled resource,' he wrote.

According to Thondup, the CCP has long treated religion not as a 'matter of conscience' but as a potential challenge to state supremacy. The insistence that all faiths adapt to 'Chinese characteristics' — meaning alignment with Party doctrine and national identity — amounts, he argued, to political subordination rather than cultural integration.

How State Control Operates

Thondup detailed a layered system of religious oversight. All religious communities in China are required to operate through state-controlled associations that govern leaders, teachings, and practices. Independent religious authority is not permitted, while monasteries, churches, and mosques remain under surveillance.

Clergy are subjected to political indoctrination, sermons are regulated, and unapproved religious gatherings outside state-sanctioned structures are reportedly criminalised. The report noted that crosses have been removed from churches, pastors detained, and scripture rewritten to reflect Party values.

Impact on Tibetan Identity

'Tibetan Buddhism represents more than a spiritual tradition; it embodies a cultural identity and historical memory that resists assimilation. By labelling it 'Chinese Buddhism', Beijing attempts to erase its distinct lineage and tether it to the state's narrative of national unity. This linguistic shift is not benign — it is a calculated move to delegitimise Tibetan identity and sever ties with the Dalai Lama, who remains a powerful symbol of spiritual independence,' Thondup wrote.

The report characterises the renaming as part of a wider effort to neutralise the Dalai Lama's moral authority, particularly among younger Tibetans inside China.

Wider Pattern of Religious Persecution

Thondup also alleged that the suppression extends well beyond Tibetan Buddhism. Mosques have reportedly been demolished, Uyghur religious leaders silenced, and Qur'anic study restricted. Local rituals, he said, have been rebranded as 'cultural heritage' rather than recognised as living faith — a move he argues strips them of spiritual legitimacy.

This pattern, the report contends, reflects a unified CCP strategy to bring all religious traditions under ideological control, with Tibetan Buddhism serving as one of its most visible fronts. How Beijing manages growing international scrutiny of these policies is likely to shape diplomatic pressure in the months ahead.