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The Lumbini project: China's $3 billion for Buddhism

DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
edited August 2011 in Buddhism Today
The town of Lumbini in Nepal is where the Buddha was born as Prince Gautama Siddhartha, before achieving enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago.

Now China is leading a project worth $3bn to transform the small town into the premier place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from around the world. Little Lumbini will have an airport, highway, hotels, convention centre, temples and a Buddhist university. That's in addition to the installation of water, electricity and communication lines it currently lacks.

That's a lot of money anywhere - but especially for a country like Nepal whose GDP was $35bn last year. That means the project is worth almost 10 per cent of the country's GDP. So what does China want back?

The organization behind the project is called the Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF), a quasi-governmental non-governmental organisation. Its executive vice president, Xiao Wunan, is a member of the Communist Party and holds a position at the National Development and Reform Commission, a state agency.

On Friday, APECF held a signing ceremony for the project with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/asia/2011/07/16/lumbini-project-chinas-3bn-buddhism

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    The best way to ruin a good thing is to blow it all way out of proportion.
    It's just more Money. And the Love of money leads to destruction.

    It's a bit like Assisi in Italy - St Francis must be spinning in his grave like a frantic dynamo to see what has happened to his tiny modest and backwater, out-of-the way place of quiet solitude.....
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    It does make one wonder what China wants. I'm guessing it's to improve their image after what they did to Tibet, to show that they "approve" of Buddhism...

    Time will tell. If China cracks down on Tibet and ethnic Tibetans again, then we'll see.
  • TalismanTalisman Veteran
    Just imagine, China will now have a powerful foothold beyond the himalayas, right on the border of what is, in the near future, going to be a new superpower (India). They have updated infrastructure, electricity, fresh water, and plenty of space. They will also have Nepal by the balls. Sometimes this sort of "generosity" should be taken with a grain of salt. Given china's history, I would not be surprised if soon after construction begins we see a new military base and occupation as a "security measure."
  • HubrisHubris
    Interesting, though I will refrain from personal commentary. Thank you for posting this.
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    @Talisman- well put. That would not surprise me.
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    I really don't see much good coming of this. At least not in the long term.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    Cool. Still doesnt make up for the cultral destruction of many Buddhist sites in Tibet though, but its a start.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited August 2011
    I thought Nepal rejected the project. Google: Lumbini Project, China. Lots of news about Nepal rejecting it.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    I hope the Nepalese have rejected it. China has an ulterior motive for everything they do. Much like the rest of the world. And this won't do anything good in the long term for Nepal.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    I hope the Nepalese have rejected it. China has an ulterior motive for everything they do. Much like the rest of the world. And this won't do anything good in the long term for Nepal.
    For sure. Where do you think the Maoist insurgency in Nepal all these years came from, or the funding for it, anyway? The Chinese will try to get control of the entire Himalayan region by hook or by crook. They claim a large swath of NE India as part of "Southern Tibet", and are building a rail line to run along the border with India there. So now the Indian gov't has had to vote to spend money on a parallel rail line, to defend the border. It's crazy.
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=29818

    I found this with a Google search, though I can't seem to find any other source citing the same info. I hope it's true, as this is nothing more than a ploy by China to eventually assert dominance over Nepal.
  • LesCLesC Bermuda Veteran

    3 Billion dollars no strings attached?? Step right this way... I have a bridge you should look at...
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    www.care2.com/news/member/437808987/2888473

    www.nepalnews.com/home/index.php/international/12105-nepal-rejects-chinas-multi-billion-dollar-Lumbini-project.html
  • sovasova delocalized fractyllic harmonizing Veteran
    I was wondering, if we raise enough money can we just buy Tibet from China?
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    I don't know what country you're in, Sova, but the US is heading towards collapse, there's no money to buy Tibet. And no, see, it's not just the natural resources they need, it's about geopolitics. They need Tibet as a buffer state, and as an excuse to claim more territory from India. Soon, aside from demanding Arunachal Pradesh, in the NE of India, they'll be demanding Ladakh and Mustang in the NW, as historically part of Tibet. Then what? I found an old map that showed that Tibet at its peak of expansion included part of Agfghanistan. Will China start claiming part of Afghanistan? There's no satisfying China. When China becomes the next superpower, due to the US' irresponsible ecomonic policy and over-involvement in foreign wars, we'll all become Tibetans. Brace yourself.
  • SpacelessSpaceless
    It is always pleasant for cross border cooperation especially the installation of infrastructure, and a buddhist university. It fosters closer relationship across the globe. This project for the small town will help other part of India to emulate the infrastructure on water, electricity etc for the well beings of India, and more jobs and investment opportunity. Hopefully, they also invest into crop farming and greenery in India as well. :thumbsup:
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    I was wondering, if we raise enough money can we just buy Tibet from China?
    I can pitch in $10.
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    It is always pleasant for cross border cooperation especially the installation of infrastructure, and a buddhist university. It fosters closer relationship across the globe. This project for the small town will help other part of India to emulate the infrastructure on water, electricity etc for the well beings of India, and more jobs and investment opportunity. Hopefully, they also invest into crop farming and greenery in India as well. :thumbsup:
    The problem, however, is that there's no altruism here. China's going to expect something in return for that money. That something will eventually be Nepal's sovereignty itself. Nepal would be better off turning to mafia loan sharks for money. At least with a loan shark you know upfront what they want in return and it's pretty uncomplicated.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited August 2011

    The problem, however, is that there's no altruism here. China's going to expect something in return for that money. That something will eventually be Nepal's sovereignty itself. Nepal would be better off turning to mafia loan sharks for money. At least with a loan shark you know upfront what they want in return and it's pretty uncomplicated.
    haha, yeah, or Foxwoods Indian Casino. The tribe (the Mashantucket Pequot Nation) provides loans and even grants for development projects, and all kinds of things.
  • whoamIwhoamI
    It sounds funny. I saw so many politicians here, no buddhist at all. No matter where money comes from, as long as it is good to people and buddhism, I would like to accept it.

    I practice tibetan buddhism, but I found most tibetan buddhists are politicians, not really buddhists. I am trying to follow New Kadampa, just tired of politics. Next time, when HHDD comes to my city (honestly, I have a photo of him. When he visited my city, We took many photos. His smile is still that gorgeous, I am so happy to have his photos), I do not need to fight Chinese anymore. I just want to practice Buddhism, no politics, please.
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    It sounds funny. I saw so many politicians here, no buddhist at all. No matter where money comes from, as long as it is good to people and buddhism, I would like to accept it.

    I practice tibetan buddhism, but I found most tibetan buddhists are politicians, not really buddhists. I am trying to follow New Kadampa, just tired of politics. Next time, when HHDD comes to my city (honestly, I have a photo of him. When he visited my city, We took many photos. His smile is still that gorgeous, I am so happy to have his photos), I do not need to fight Chinese anymore. I just want to practice Buddhism, no politics, please.
    - Long term it is good to neither people nor Buddhism. And this is a political issue, very much so. Not sure how you conclude that there's no Buddhists here though.

    - Then practice Buddhism.

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