India, US step up fight with China on next Dalai Lama |
The choice of the successor of the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans, who lives in exile in India, is turning into a struggle between India and China as well as the US and China. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, turns 86 in July. The Dalai Lama is believed to be a living Buddha who is reincarnated after his death. Traditionally, a search for a child reincarnation is conducted, and once a boy is confirmed, he studies to prepare for his role. The current Dalai Lama was identified at the age of two. There`s no single method of choosing the Dalai Lama, and the process can be long and complicated. Reports indicate that senior security officials in India, including in the Prime Minister`s office, may also be involved in discussions on how New Delhi can influence the choice of the next Dalai Lama. India hosts the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala in Himachal state, but recognized Tibet as part of China in 2003. From January through March 2021, along its Himalayan border with China, India convened five separate assemblies of senior monks from various sects and schools in the region. For the first time, such gatherings have taken place in more than 2,000 years. The government hopes that this group will grant international legitimacy to the current Dalai Lama`s successor and help fill a power vacuum. The process could take two decades or longer for reincarnation to be identified and to come of age. Until last year, there was “semi-official communication” between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama, with the government trying to persuade the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet. The struggle over the Dalai Lama turns significant as the Biden administration works more closely with partners in Asia to sanction Beijing over human rights abuses, restrict exports of key technology to China, and push back against the country`s territorial claims, including over Taiwan. Beijing has responded by lashing out at the US and its allies, insisting they have no say in Tibet, Xinjiang, or other “internal” matters.
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