LHASA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has urged greater efforts to implement democratic management in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.

Concerted and solid efforts must be paid to implement democratic management in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, said the official, Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Du, also vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks during a conference on democratic management of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries which was held in Xigaze of Tibet Autonomous Region from Aug. 14 to 15.

Competent Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns who are politically reliable, extraordinarily learned and widely respected should be selected to monastery management committees through thorough democratic consultation, said he,

In implementing monastery democratic management, the lawful rights of monasteries, orderly religious activities of monks and nuns, and normal religious practice of believers must be ensured, he added.

The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, who is also vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, sent a congratulatory letter to the conference.

The conference was attended by some 150 people from Tibetan Buddhist circles and relative governmental organizations.