 "After Dalai Lama asserts succession decision, China says its nod must for next incarnation")
China said on Wednesday that the next Dalai Lama’s reincarnation must be approved by its central government and that the process must take place within China.
This statement comes just hours after the Dalai Lama announced that he will be reincarnated and that only his non-profit institution has the authority to identify his successor — directly challenging China’s claim to choose the next Tibetan Buddhist leader.
“The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other great Buddhist figures must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, as quoted by news agency AFP.
The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday that he plans to be reincarnated and that only his non-profit institution will have the authority to identify his next incarnation, pushing back against China’s claims that it will choose his successor.
The Dalai Lama, who turns 90 on the upcoming Sunday, put an end to speculation among his millions of followers about whether there would be another Dalai Lama after him. The Nobel Peace Prize winner made these comments during his birthday celebrations, which are being closely watched by the US, India, and China due to the political importance of his succession.
Beijing views the Dalai Lama, who fled to India from Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, as a separatist. The Dalai Lama has previously said his successor will be born outside China and urged his followers to reject anyone chosen by Beijing. In previous years, he had also said it was possible that there might be no successor at all.
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