China responded after an Indian minister said the Dalai Lama’s wishes and Tibetan tradition should determine his successor.
Dharamshala, India — China has issued a warning to India following a minister’s statement asserting that only the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan tradition have the authority to decide the next Tibetan Buddhist leader—a position that challenges Beijing’s attempts to assert control over a figure it views as a threat.
China objected to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s statement that the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation should be determined according to his own wishes, urging India to handle Tibet-related matters with caution to avoid affecting the progress of bilateral relations.
India should recognize the anti-China separatist stance of the 14th Dalai Lama and uphold its commitments on issues related to Xizang (Tibet), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a media briefing in response to a question about Minister Rijiju’s remarks. China refers to Tibet as Xizang.
The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, stated on Wednesday that he would be reincarnated after his death and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust has the authority to identify his successor. He has previously said that his reincarnation would take place outside China.
Beijing maintains that it holds the authority to approve the Dalai Lama’s successor, citing historical precedent dating back to imperial times.
However, in a rare public remark on the issue, India’s Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, challenged that claim ahead of his visit to Dharamshala—home to the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile—for the spiritual leader’s upcoming 90th birthday celebration on Sunday.
“No one has the right to interfere or determine who His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s successor will be,” Rijiju told reporters, as quoted by Indian media.
“Only he, or his institution, holds the authority to make that decision. His followers strongly believe in that, and it’s essential for disciples worldwide that he determines his own succession.”
