China promises to repair monasteries

The Chinese government promised to focus on repairing monasteries damaged in an earthquake in an ethnically Tibetan region, days after monks assisting in relief work were told to leave the disaster area.

The death toll from the quake rose to more than 2,200, state media said.

China's leadership is wary of Buddhist monks because of their loyalty to their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

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