China said on Wednesday that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama „must be approved by the central government,“ after Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader said he would have a successor<\/b>
\nChina said on Wednesday that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama \u201cmust be approved by the central government,\u201d after Tibet\u2019s exiled spiritual leader said he would have a successor after his death.
The current Dalai Lama, who turns 90 this week, has lived in exile in India since Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959.
He confirmed on Wednesday that the 600-year-old institution would continue, soothing the concerns of many Tibetans who feared a future without a spiritual and political focal point.
China, which views the current Dalai Lama as a separatist, countered that Beijing has the final say on who the successor will be.
\u201cThe 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,\u201d foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news briefing, referring to a method introduced by a Qing dynasty emperor in the 18th century.
\u201cThe Chinese government implements a policy of freedom of religious belief, but there are regulations on religious affairs and methods for managing the reincarnation of Tibetan living Buddhas,\u201d Mao said.
the 14th Dalai Lama \u2014 was 23 when he fled Lhasa in fear for his life.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner has since become the global face of the Tibetan push to assert their cultural identity, as well as a powerful symbol of peace and non-violence.
Mao said on Wednesday that Beijing\u2019s policy of making religion more Chinese \u201cis not its restriction. The survival and development of any religion lies in adapting to the country\u2019s social environment and cultural traditions.\u201d
\u201cTibetan Buddhism was born in China and carries Chinese characteristics,\u201d she said. \/das<\/p>\n