The Confucius Institute at the University of Sydney Wednesday told the Global Times that a public lecture on Tibetan Buddhism's reincarnation system presented at the center was purely "an interpretation from a cultural perspective," despite accusations that it was "politically motivated."

During the 90-minute speech on Wednesday, Zhang Yun, a researcher from the Chinese Center for Tibetan Studies, talked about the origins and theoretical foundations of the reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism, the history of the name "Dalai Lama," and the ritual formalities of the system, according to a posting on the university's website.

"We understand that the topic is sensitive and do not wish to get involved in the debate. We made it clear that the speech is about the reincarnation system and its history from a cultural perspective," a spokesperson from the Confucius Institute told the Global Times.

According to the spokesperson, the Confucius Institute at the university has presented several lectures on Tibet.

Paul Bourke, executive officer of the Australia Tibet Council, told the Global Times that "any presentation from the Chinese side about the Dalai Lama is by nature political."

Xiong Kunxin, a professor from the Minzu University of China, told the Global Times that the Dalai Lama is actually a religious title passed down for generations.

"The 14th Dalai Lama for many years has met with political leaders around the world to establish himself as a political figure," said Xiong.

"In most countries, people have created political systems to separate the powers of church from the state. The 14th Dalai Lama is doing just the opposite of that," he noted.

Confucius Institutes around the world have also hosted photo exhibitions or presentations on Tibetan history and social development over the past years.