Video now available: Book Launch: Figures of Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia (8 April 2026)
April 22, 2026
Missed the live event? You can now watch the video recording of the launch of Figures of Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia (Bloomsbury, 2026), hosted by the Singapore Research Nexus and the GL Louis Religious Pluralism Research Cluster at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The book, funded by Singapore’s Social Science Research Council (SSRC) and edited by Associate Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia (NUS History), challenges the assumption that diplomatic relations are sustained through formal, official recognition between states. It highlights how Buddhist actors—including monks, educators, and religious leaders—have historically built cross-border connections through shared practices and institutional ties.
Watch the recording here.
Download the programme here.
Check out some additional photographs from the event here.
Programme
- Opening Remarks: Prof Chan Heng Chee (Deputy Chairman, Social Science Research Council)
Presentations
- Ms Ng Xiang Yun (Research Assistant, NUS FASS Research Division)
Yuanying: Seeking alliance across the South China Sea, 1930s-1945
- A/P Jack Meng-Tat Chia (Associate Professor, NUS History)
Hong Choon: Buddhist Diplomacy Before Official Relations
- Professor Chien-peng Chung (Professor, Lingnan University)
Xi Jinping: A Buddha’s Diplomat from Communist China
- Mr Choo Ruizhong (Master’s Student, NUS History)
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn: A Complex, Layered Buddhist Diplomacy
Discover how NUS FASS researchers are advancing conversations on diplomacy, religion, and culture in our multi-cultural, multi-religious world.
Read the book here. Additional coverage can be found in the NUS News feature on the launch event.
Photographer: Boris Kuek Xiuquan
