China Rattled By Kiren Rijiju’s Backing Of Dalai Lama's Succession Plan: ‘Could Impact Ties’

Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 16:23 IST

China said India should be clear of the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama and honour its commitments on Tibet related issues

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama speaks via a video message. (Image: PTI)

China on Friday objected to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s remarks that the decision on the incarnation of the Dalai Lama would be taken by the established institution and the leader of Tibetan Buddhists himself and no one else.

In a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said India should be clear of the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama and honour its commitments on Tibet-related issues.

Mao also said India should exercise caution in its words and actions, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs with Tibet-related issues and avoid impacting the improvement and development of the China-India relationship.

On Wednesday, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust – founded by his office in 2015 – will have the authority to recognise his future reincarnation. However, China rejected the Dalai Lama’s succession plan, insisting that any future heir must receive its seal of approval.

Rijiju, a practising Buddhist, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh, a fellow Union minister, are representing the Government of India at the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday celebrations in Dharamshala on July 6.

Mao reiterated China’s stand that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, the second-high priest of Tibetan Buddhism, has to comply with rigorous religious rituals and historical conventions in line with domestic search, lots drawn from a ‘golden urn’ and the central government’s approval.

The present 14th Dalai Lama went through this procedure and was approved by the then-central government, she said.

Mao’s comments related to the improvement and development of relations refer to the efforts by both India and China to normalisation of ties after over four years of freeze following the Eastern Ladakh standoff.

The two countries resumed ties after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at Kazan in Russia last year followed by a series of high-level meetings.

The resumption of the Kailash and Mansarovar Yatra for Indian pilgrims, which began recently, is stated to be the first step initiated by the two countries to normalise ties.

(with inputs from PTI)

Beijing, China

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