Potala Palace in Lhasa, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Photo:Xinhua

The so-called Tibetan government-in-exile is a thoroughly separatist political organization that violates China’s Constitution and laws and is an illegal entity. No country in the world recognizes it, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in Japan said in a statement on Monday.

Recently, Japanese media interviewed members of the “Tibetan government-in-exile,” who criticized China’s policies in its Xizang Autonomous Region and claimed that the successor of the 14th Dalai Lama would reincarnate in the “free world,” and called on other countries to pressure China.

The embassy spokesperson said that the 14th Dalai Lama and the “Tibetan government-in-exile” have no right whatsoever to represent the people in the Xizang region or to determine the future of the region.

The reincarnation of Living Buddhas is unique to Tibetan Buddhism. It follows established religious rituals and historical conventions that are widely respected and upheld within the Tibetan Buddhist community. The claim that the next reincarnation will appear in the “free world” is a deliberate distortion and misrepresentation, said the spokesperson.

The Dalai Lama’s lineage and religious standing and title which were affirmed by the central government date back several hundred years. The 14th Dalai Lama himself was found and confirmed in line with this set of rituals and conventions and was approved by the then central government, said the spokesperson.

The Chinese government upholds the policy of freedom of religious belief, respects and protects religious traditions, and manages religious affairs in accordance with the law. The reincarnation of living Buddhas, including the Dalai Lama, must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, as well as established religious rituals and historical conventions, according to the spokesperson. 

The Xizang region has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times, and the people in the region are members of the big family of the Chinese nation. Xizang-related affairs are purely China’s internal affairs and brook no foreign interference. Today, the region enjoys robust economic growth, social stability, cultural prosperity and continuous improvement in people’s livelihoods — facts that are plain for all to see. Any attempt by anyone or any force to destabilize the region in order to contain or undermine China is doomed to fail, said the spokesperson. 

Global Times