Buddhist masters urge safeguarding peace in S.China Sea

Buddhist masters from 12 countries and regions on Thursday called for joint efforts to safeguard peace in the South China Sea and promote people-to-people exchanges in the region.

The masters, from countries and regions mostly surrounding the South China Sea, also signed a document of consensus at the South China Sea Buddhism Shenzhen Roundtable held on Thursday, calling for enhanced cooperation to sustain peace and promote prosperity in the region.

“Some countries outside the region take disputes as an excuse to interfere with the issue for their own political and economical gain, so the Buddhist society should resist such disturbances to sustain peace in the South China Sea,” said Yin Shun, deputy head of China’s Buddhist Association.

The masters also suggested that a roundtable meeting be held in other countries surrounding the South China Sea starting 2019 to boost exchanges and increase understanding of cultures in different countries. Better understanding is needed to prevent military provocations to safeguard stability of the region.

Around 20 Buddhist monks from Laos are studying at the Nanhai Buddhism Academy in South China’s Hainan Province as part of the efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges under the framework of the roundtable and other initiatives launched by the Shenzhen-based Hongfa Temple, Yin Shun, also abbot of the temple, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Over 3,000 residents from Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia received free cataract surgery with the assistance of the temple, Yin said.

The South China Sea Buddhism Shenzhen Roundtable, initiated in 2016 by Yin, serves as a platform to create favorable conditions for jointly safeguarding harmony and peace of countries in the South China Sea region.