Dalai Lama Announces Successor Will Be Chosen Outside China, Defying Beijing's Authority
In a bold declaration that challenges China's claims over Tibetan Buddhist succession, the Dalai Lama has stated that his reincarnation will be born in the "free world," outside of Chinese control. This announcement, made in his newly released book, Voice for the Voiceless, marks a significant escalation in the long-standing dispute over the future of Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama lineage.
The statement, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising, underscores the Dalai Lama's commitment to preserving Tibetan culture and the spiritual mission of his lineage, free from Chinese interference.
"The reincarnation will occur in the free world, where the values of compassion and cultural preservation flourish without oppression," the Dalai Lama wrote, directly rejecting Beijing's assertion that it holds the authority to approve his successor.
China has long maintained that the selection of the Dalai Lama's successor must adhere to its laws and regulations, including approval by the central government. Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a "separatist" and insists that Tibet, which it refers to as Xizang, has been an integral part of China for centuries. In response to the Dalai Lama's statement, China's Foreign Ministry reiterated its position, labeling him a "political exile" and emphasizing that the reincarnation of Living Buddhas must follow Chinese procedures.
The Dalai Lama's book also sheds light on his decades-long struggle against Chinese rule, detailing the repression of Tibetan culture and religion, including forced assimilation, and restrictions on monasteries.
