Sinofication of Buddhism: In Tibet, China wants more wealth, less Buddha

Beijing is investing heavily in Tibet, betting that new roads, jobs, better housing and improved access to education and healthcare will bring stability to the region.

Sitting in a home built by Chinese authorities near Tibet’s capital of Lhasa, one of the highest cities in the world, Sunnamdanba tells foreign journalists on a government-sponsored tour how much the Communist Party has improved life -- and how irrelevant religion has become for him.

“I could have never dreamed my life would be so good,” the 41-year-old father of two, who by tradition uses only one name, said in comments translated by a local official. Foreign journalists can only report from the region on trips organized by the government.

Asked about the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s 85-year-old spiritual leader now