China Warns India on Dalai Lama Succession: 'Proceed With Caution..'

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): On July 6, Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama will turn 90 years old and even before that, the dispute over his succession has become a topic of discussion. China is insisting that any future successor will have to take its approval. At the same time, China has started threatening India in the matter of selection of Dalai Lama's successor.

China has asked India to act cautiously on issues related to Tibet so that it does not affect the improvement in bilateral relations. China has objected to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's remarks that the Dalai Lama should follow his own wishes. Responding to a question on Rijiju's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said in a media briefing that India should be clear from the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama and honor its commitments on issues related to Xizang (Tibet). China calls Tibet Xizang. Mao said that India should be careful in its words and actions, stop interfering in China's internal affairs on issues related to Xizang and avoid affecting the improvement and development of China-India relations. Rijiju said that the decision on the next Dalai Lama will be taken only by the established institution and the Dalai Lama. He said that no one else will be involved in this decision. This was the first reaction of a senior Indian government official to the comments made by the Dalai Lama on his successor. On Wednesday, the Tibetan spiritual leader said the institution of the Dalai Lama would continue and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust – set up by his office in 2015 – would have the right to recognise the next Dalai Lama.

Mao reiterated China's stance that the successor to the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama of Tibetan Buddhism must follow strict religious rituals and historical traditions, including a domestic search, a lottery drawn from a 'golden urn' and approval by the central government. He said the current 14th Dalai Lama had gone through this process and was approved by the then central government. He said the successor to the Dalai Lama must uphold those principles and follow religious rituals, historical traditions, Chinese laws and regulations.

Click here to read this news in Hindi