Overview

• During 90th birthday events in McLeod Ganj, the Dalai Lama affirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death under traditional Tibetan processes.
• He designated the Gaden Phodrang Trust as the sole authority to search for and recognize the next incarnation according to ancient procedures.
• He insisted the next Dalai Lama must be born in the “free world,” explicitly excluding Chinese-controlled regions from the selection.
• China’s foreign ministry quickly reiterated that all Buddhist reincarnations must be approved by Beijing under its 2007 religious regulations.
• The announcement evokes the 1995 Panchen Lama dispute and signals a likely standoff over religious autonomy between Tibetan exiles and China.