Chinese Communist Party says it will choose successor to Dalai Lama

August 04, 2015

The Chinese Communist Party has insisted that it will name the next Dalai Lama, the AsiaNews service reports.

At a July 30 meeting, the Chinese Politburo announced that since China seized control of Tibet, “all confirmations of the Dalai Lama have required approval by the central Chinese government, which has deemed the process an important issue concerning sovereignty and national security.”

The Chinese claim will inevitably create a conflict with Tibetan Buddhists, who believe that the Dalai Lama is reincarnated, and assign monks to identify the young man who will become the next Dalai Lama. That conflict will likely intensify Tibetan resistance against Chinese authority.

The current Dalai Lama, who is still viewed as a symbol of Tibetan national identity, has been living in exile since 1959, continually protesting the Chinese takeover of his country. He has frequently said that he fears Beijing will seek to manipulate his successor.

 

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Further information:

• China’s Communist Party will pick the “next Dalai Lama, period!” (AsiaNews)