India, July 3 -- Exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Wednesday said the 600-year-old institution would continue after his death and it would choose his future reincarnation, effectively excluding China from any role over appointing

the 15th Dalai Lama. Beijing, however, rejected the Dalai Lama's succession plan, insisting that any future heir must receive its seal of approval, adding a new chapter to Tibetan Buddhism's decades-long struggle with the Chinese ruling Communist Party.

The Gaden Phodrang Trust was founded by the Office of Dalai Lama in 2015. The statement made by the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, who is also called Lhama Thondup, on May 21, 2025, was released by his office on Wednesday. A 5.57-minute video of his speech i...