As the 14th Dalai Lama approaches his 90th birthday, he has made a proclamation that reverberates far beyond the monastic halls of Dharamsala: His reincarnation would not be born in Tibet so long as it remains under Chinese rule. This is not merely a spiritual declaration — it is a geopolitical masterstroke that strikes at the heart of Beijing’s long-standing strategy to control Tibetan Buddhism from within.
The Dalai Lama’s announcement is a reaffirmation of Tibetan religious sovereignty and a pre-emptive strike against Chinese political theater. By declaring that his reincarnation would occur in exile and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust — his official office — has the authority to recognize his successor, he has effectively delegitimized any attempt by Beijing to manufacture a puppet Dalai Lama within its borders.
This move is not without precedent. In 1995, the Dalai Lama recognized a young boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as the 11th Panchen Lama — only for the child to be abducted by Chinese authorities and replaced with a state-approved figure. That incident became a chilling reminder of how Beijing seeks to co-opt Tibetan spiritual institutions to consolidate its rule. The Dalai Lama’s current stance ensures that history would not repeat itself so easily.
China has long insisted that it alone has the authority to approve reincarnations of Tibetan lamas, citing an 18th century Qing Dynasty ritual involving a golden urn. However, this claim is as much about political control as it is about religious tradition. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) goal is clear: To install a compliant Dalai Lama who would rubber-stamp Beijing’s policies in Tibet and neuter the global influence of the Tibetan cause.
By contrast, the Dalai Lama’s declaration recenters the process within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and places it firmly outside the reach of the Chinese state. It also internationalizes the issue, drawing support from Buddhist communities across Mongolia, the Himalayas and even within China itself.
We are now heading toward a future with two Dalai Lamas: one chosen by Tibetan Buddhist leaders in exile and another anointed by the CCP. However, legitimacy cannot be manufactured. The Dalai Lama’s spiritual authority is not derived from political power, but from centuries of tradition, devotion and moral leadership. A Beijing-backed Dalai Lama might wear the robes, but he would not wear the trust of the Tibetan people.
This schism would not only deepen the divide between Tibetans and the Chinese state — it would also test the resolve of the international community. Will democratic nations recognize the reincarnation chosen by Tibetan Buddhists, or will they bow to Beijing’s narrative?
In essence, the Dalai Lama has built a spiritual firewall against authoritarian interference. His proclamation ensures that the soul of Tibetan Buddhism cannot be co-opted by a regime that seeks to erase its identity. It is a bold act of resistance cloaked in the language of faith — a reminder that even in exile, the Dalai Lama remains the unyielding heartbeat of people who refuse to forget who they are.
In doing so, he has not only safeguarded the future of his lineage, but also reignited the global conversation about Tibet’s right to self-determination — one reincarnation at a time.
Khedroob Thondup is a former member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile.
In a meeting with Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste on Tuesday, President William Lai (賴清德) vowed to continue providing aid to Haiti. Taiwan supports Haiti with development in areas such as agriculture, healthcare and education through initiatives run by the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF). The nation it has established itself as a responsible, peaceful and innovative actor committed to global cooperation, Jean-Baptiste said. Testimonies such as this give Taiwan a voice in the global community, where it often goes unheard. Taiwan’s reception in Haiti also contrasts with how China has been perceived in countries in the region
On April 13, I stood in Nanan (南安), a Bunun village in southern Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪), absorbing lessons from elders who spoke of the forest not as backdrop, but as living presence — relational, sacred and full of spirit. I was there with fellow international students from National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) participating in a field trip that would become one of the most powerful educational experiences of my life. Ten days later, a news report in the Taipei Times shattered the spell: “Formosan black bear shot and euthanized in Hualien” (April 23, page 2). A tagged bear, previously released
The world has become less predictable, less rules-based, and more shaped by the impulses of strongmen and short-term dealmaking. Nowhere is this more consequential than in East Asia, where the fate of democratic Taiwan hinges on how global powers manage — or mismanage — tensions with an increasingly assertive China. The return of Donald Trump to the White House has deepened the global uncertainty, with his erratic, highly personalized foreign-policy approach unsettling allies and adversaries alike. Trump appears to treat foreign policy like a reality show. Yet, paradoxically, the global unpredictability may offer Taiwan unexpected deterrence. For China, the risk of provoking the
Young supporters of former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) were detained for posting the names and photographs of judges and prosecutors believed to be overseeing the Core Pacific City redevelopment corruption case. The supporters should be held responsible for their actions. As for Ko’s successor, TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), he should reflect on whether his own comments are provocative and whether his statements might be misunderstood. Huang needs to apologize to the public and the judiciary. In the article, “Why does sorry seem to be the hardest word?” the late political commentator Nan Fang Shuo (南方朔) wrote