REACTION: China Reasserts Control Over Tibetan Religious Affairs

China has issued a pointed response to what it called recent remarks made by an Indian official concerning the future reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama. Chinese Ambassador to India stated that the matter is strictly a domestic issue under its jurisdiction. 

The statement released by Chinese ambassador to India underscores Beijing’s position that the reincarnation and succession of Tibetan Buddhist figures — including the Dalai Lama — fall entirely under the control of the central government.

Image Source: Chinese Ambassador on X

Without naming the Indian official directly, China stated that "some Indian official" had made comments about the Dalai Lama's reincarnation, which it views as external interference. 

The Chinese government reiterated that “Xizang” (its official name for Tibet) is an “inalienable part of China’s territory,” and that Tibetan Buddhism developed within China's own borders — specifically the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

“The lineage of the Dalai Lamas took shape and evolved within China’s Tibet region,” the statement read. “The conferment of their religious status and titles is the prerogative of the central government of China.”

According to Beijing, religious affairs — including the reincarnation process of “Living Buddhas” — are governed by national laws, and the process must follow established legal and political mechanisms.

Any involvement by "overseas organizations or individuals," the government warned, would not be tolerated.

The sharp reaction is part of China’s broader effort to consolidate authority over Tibetan religious institutions and traditions, particularly ahead of any future developments concerning the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, who turned 90 yesterday. 

The spiritual leader, based in exile in India since 1959, has repeatedly emphasized that only he — or Tibetan Buddhist traditions — will determine whether and how he reincarnates.

India has long hosted the Tibetan government-in-exile and remains home to the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees. While New Delhi maintains a cautious stance on the sensitive issue, Chinese responses to even indirect references by Indian officials are swift and firm.

Beijing’s position is clear: “The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is an internal affair of China.” The government also invoked the principle of “self-governance in religious affairs,” stating that no foreign entity will be permitted to influence the process.

China's emphasis on legal and territorial authority over Tibet remains unchanged — and so does the Dalai Lama's message of spiritual autonomy. The political implications of the next steps in this unfolding saga may ripple far beyond the plateau.