The three-day 2008 Seminar on Buddhist Studies in Foreign Languages wound up July 11 in Shanghai. Nearly 90 Buddhists delivered speeches in foreign languages, including English, German and Japanese during the seminar.

The seminar was held to encourage Chinese Buddhists to improve their language skills. More than 30 Buddhists from Taiwan and Hong Kong also attended.

Jiang Jianyong, deputy director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, said Buddhists in Taiwan and Hong Kong are more advanced than their mainland counterparts in terms of language training and skills. The seminar provided an opportunity to improve communication between Buddhists from the three places.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Wu Jin July 11, 2008)