Dalai Lama: ‘Will be born in free world’: Dalai Lama declares successor will be born outside China; Beijing counters
The Dalai Lama has revealed in his new book, Voice for the Voiceless, that his successor will be born outside China, which has challenged Beijing’s authority over Tibet’s spiritual leadership.
The book, released on Tuesday, provides a historical account of his dealings with Chinese leaders and offers a vision for Tibet’s future after his death.
“Since the purpose of a reincarnation is to carry on the work of the predecessor, the new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world so that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama – that is, to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet embodying the aspirations of the Tibetan people – will continue,” the Dalai Lama wrote.
As per the news agency Reuters, this is the first time the 89-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader has explicitly said that the next Dalai Lama will be born in the “free world” rather than under Chinese rule. He previously suggested he might not reincarnate at all or could return outside Tibet, possibly in India, where he has been living in exile since 1959.
China dismisses Dalai Lama’s authority
Meanwhile, Beijing has rejected the Dalai Lama’s statements, insisting that it alone has the power to determine his successor.
According to the news agency AFP, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that the Dalai Lama “is a political exile who is engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion.”
She added that his reincarnation must follow Chinese laws and historical traditions, asserting, “The reincarnations of living Buddhas, including the Dalai Lama, should abide by national laws and regulations… and be subject to the approval of the central government.”
China has long claimed Tibet as an integral part of its territory, calling its takeover in 1950 a “peaceful liberation.”
Talks between Beijing and Tibetan leaders have been stalled since 2010.
In his book, the Dalai Lama has reflected on his decades of efforts to “save my homeland and people.” He describes interactions with Chinese leaders from Chairman Mao Zedong to President Xi Jinping and reiterates his call for dialogue.
“One thing is for sure: no totalitarian regime, whether headed by an individual or a party, can last forever, because they abuse the very people they claim to speak for,” he writes.
He stepped down as the political leader of Tibet’s government-in-exile in 2011, passing the responsibility to a democratically elected administration led by Penpa Tsering. This government is based in India and does not seek full independence but advocates for greater autonomy under the “Middle Way” approach.
China, however, calls the India-based Tibetan administration a “puppet government.” Beijing has insisted that the Dalai Lama must acknowledge that Tibet and Taiwan are inseparable parts of China before any discussions can take place—a condition the Tibetan parliament-in-exile has rejected, according to Reuters.
At 89, the Dalai Lama acknowledged that returning to Tibet is “increasingly unlikely.” However, he remains optimistic about the future of the Tibetan cause. “The right of the Tibetan people to be the custodians of their own homeland cannot be indefinitely denied, nor can their aspiration for freedom be crushed forever through oppression,” he writes in his book.
He also noted that Tibetans worldwide have urged him to ensure the continuation of the Dalai Lama lineage. Tibetan tradition holds that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated in the body of a child after death, and the Dalai Lama himself was identified as a reincarnation at the age of two.
Despite concerns over his health following knee surgery last year, the Dalai Lama told Reuters in December that he could live to 110. He is expected to release more details about his succession plans around his 90th birthday in July.
While Beijing insists it will select the next Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader’s declaration that his reincarnation will be born outside China ensures that the battle over Tibet’s future will continue long after his passing.
