What does her age have to do with her religion? And btw, "Tibetan Buddhism" is in fact referred to as "Tibetan Buddhism" by the majority of its adherents, to distinguish it from types of Buddhism practiced in other countries (a bit like distinguishing between a Baptist and an Episcopalian). This sentence is like saying, "My friend is only 25 years old but she is a follower of what she calls 'Christianity.'" Huh?
Hetty,
I’m guessing that you didn’t bother to read the whole article. Just a sentence later I make reference to the fact that most people her age “abandoned religion long ago.” If you are familiar with the young generation in China these days, you will know that it is rare to encounter someone in that age group who practices Buddhism.
As far as “Tibetan Buddhism” is concerned, this was the exact phrasing that she used and she wanted to make sure that I knew that it was not Thailand Buddhism that she was practicing.