Overview

• The 14th Dalai Lama confirmed that the institution will continue after his death and granted exclusive selection authority to his Gaden Phodrang Foundation.
• He stipulated that his 15th incarnation must occur outside Chinese-controlled territory to shield the process from Beijing’s interference.
• China immediately asserted its own right under domestic law to determine Dalai Lama reincarnations, rejecting the exile framework.
• Penpa Tsering, head of the Central Tibetan Administration, cautioned that competing claims could yield two rival Dalai Lamas and fracture the community.
• Tibetan exiles and international backers have praised the directive as vital for preserving Tibetan religious and cultural autonomy.