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A Chinese religious affairs official recently called on the Dalai Lama to cease his separatist activities.

"We continue to hope that the Dalai Lama will stop activities to split Tibet from the motherland during the remaining days of his life,'' said Ye Xiaowen, director of the State Administration of Religious Affairs.

Ye made the remarks at a national congress of the Buddhist Association of China which held recently in Beijing.

Nearly 500 Buddhists participated in the congress.

The congress will map out plans for the development of Buddhism in China in the new century and elect the association's new chairman.

Ye said that the Dalai Lama has long been engaged in separatist activities, making use of Tibetan Buddhism while backed by anti-China forces in the West.

He said that followers of Buddhism in China, particularly those of Tibetan Buddhism, should work hard to safeguard the unification of the motherland and unity among its different ethnic groups.

China currently has around 120,000 lamas and nuns who practise Tibetan Buddhism, plus many more ordinary followers.

The total number of believers of Buddhism -- including Chinese, Tibetan and Pali Buddhism -- cannot be counted because the religion does not have rigorous rituals.

According to Vice-Chairman Dao Shuren, the association has worked hard in past years to guarantee religious freedom for Buddhists and strengthen the study of Buddhism.

An increasing number of Chinese monks has been sent abroad for further study in recent years as well as receiving schooling in Buddhist theological institutes such as the Chinese Buddhist Academy.

"The policy of religious freedom has been implemented earnestly in China,'' said Master Shenghui,who is also vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of China. "Buddhism has undergone development that is to our satisfaction.''

This progress was applauded by Ye, who spoke highly of the achievements of the Buddhist Association of China in respecting religious freedom, safeguarding the legitimate rights of Buddhists and conducting exchanges with Buddhists in other countries.

Ye said the association should encourage the nation's Buddhists to use their initiative and creativity fully to contribute to China's development.