Chinese-Appointed TAR Chairman: Dalai Lama Reincarnation Must Follow Chinese Laws

By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA, 5 Aug: Karma Tseten (Chinese: Gama Cedain), Chairman of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in occupied Tibet, has stated that the Central Government of China holds the ultimate decision-making authority over the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, suggesting that the reincarnation must be carried out within Chinese territory.

According to China Daily, a Chinese state-run media outlet, Tsetan,  the highest-ranking Tibetan politician within China’s system, said during a press conference held by China’s State Council Information Office on Tuesday, that “the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must strictly follow the principle of ‘carrying out the search domestically, drawing of lots from a golden urn, and gaining approval by the central government’, while complying with the country’s laws and regulations.”

Tseten further asserted that the legitimacy of the Dalai Lama’s title originates from the central government and must therefore comply with China’s so-called religious conventions. “It’s also a creed adhered to by the vast religious masses,” he was quoted as saying by China Daily.

China’s insistence on controlling the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is seen as part of its broader strategy to legitimise and consolidate its colonial occupation of Tibet. 

This issue has gained renewed attention following the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday statement this July, in which he reaffirmed that his private office, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, will have sole authority over his reincarnation, firmly rejecting any external interference in this sacred Tibetan Buddhist tradition. 

Adding weight to concerns over China’s growing religious interference, Telo Tulku Rinpoche, the former head of Buddhists of the Republic of Kalmykia and the Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Russia, Mongolia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS countries),  recently spoke about China’s expanding influence. 

In an interview with Global Order, the Rinpoche confirmed that China’s pressure has hindered Mongolia’s ability to proceed with the traditional recognition and enthronement of the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dampa, Mongolia’s most revered spiritual figure. He implied that Mongolia has become a “testing ground” for China’s campaign to exert control over sacred Buddhist institutions, especially the institution of reincarnation.