The reincarnation of the current Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
The 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, told Reuters in an interview published on Monday that it was possible his incarnation could be found in India, where the 83-year-old has lived in exile for 60 years, before adding that the Chinese government could try to intervene and choose a successor it approves of.
'Reincarnation is the unique way of Tibetan Buddhism and has fixed rituals and systems,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said while responding to press questions at a regular briefing.
'The Chinese government has adopted policies on freedom of religious belief. The reincarnation system is respected and protected by such legal instruments as "Regulations on Religious Affairs" and "Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas",' he added.
The 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, told Reuters that it was possible his incarnation could be found in India, where the 83-year-old has lived in exile for 60 years
Above, the iconic Potala Palace in the regional capital of Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region. China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that he reincarnation of the current Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese laws and regulations and religious rituals
Geng stressed in his 'authoritative answer' that the reincarnation system has been in existence for several hundred years.
'The 14th Dalai Lama himself was also recognised following religious rituals and historical conventions and his succession was approved by the then central government. Therefore the reincarnation of Dalai Lama should abide by national laws and regulations, religious rituals and historical conventions,' he added.
China enacted the New Regulations on Religious Affairs and the Rules on the Management of Reincarnation of Tibetan Living Buddhas in 2018 and in 2007 respectively, according to CGTN.
According to the regulation, Buddhist institutions should apply to the government if they intend to reincarnate a monk.
Born in 1935, the current Dalai Lama was identified as the reincarnation of his predecessor when he was two years old.
The Dalai Lama arrives at Tezpur, Assam in India on April 18, 1959. He fled to India from the Tibetan capita Lhasa after a failed uprising against Chinese rule
The Dalai Lama receives the Nobel Peace Prize from Egil Aarvik, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee on December 10, 1989 at Oslo University. This year marks 60 years since the spiritual leader went into exile after fleeing a Chinese crackdown in Tibet in 1959
He fled to India in early 1959 from the Tibetan capita Lhasa after a failed
