Comments by the Chinese embassy spokesperson in New Delhi precede the Indian foreign minister’s trip to China, the first since the 2020 clashes. Succession of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is a “thorn” in China-India relations, states the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.
The comments on Sunday preceded India’s first top diplomat visit to China after the fatal 2020 border clashes between the South Asian nations. [the] Xizang-related problem is a thorn in China-India relations and has become an India burden,” Yu Jing, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy, wrote on X, quoting “Xizang”, the Chinese name for Tibet.
Before ceremonies this month to mark his 90th birthday, attended by top Indian ministers, the Dalai Lama infuriated China once more by stating that it had no part in his succession. Tibetans hold that any senior Buddhist monk’s soul is reborn after his death, but according to China, the succession will also require the approval of its leaders. The Dalai Lama has been in exile in India since 1959 after a rebellion against Chinese occupation in Tibet failed.
Indian foreign policy analysts comment that his presence provides New Delhi with an advantage over China. India also has around 70,000 Tibetans and a Tibetan government-in-exile.
In her tweet, spokesperson Yu, refraining from naming anyone, stated that certain individuals from strategic and academic circles in India made “improper comments” regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. As foreign affairs professionals, they should be well aware of the sensitivity of Xizang-related issues,” Yu noted. “Reincarnation and succession of the Dalai Lama is China’s internal affair by nature.”
Indian Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who was seated to the left of the Dalai Lama during his 90th birthday celebrations last week, stated that as a practising Buddhist, he only trusts the Dalai Lama and his office to decide whether or not his reincarnation will occur.
India’s Foreign Office stated on July 4, two days ahead of the Dalai Lama’s birthday, that New Delhi takes no position or speaks on issues related to faith and religious practices and beliefs.
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be attending a regional security conference under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin in northern China on July 15. He will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines. This will be one of the highest-level exchanges between India and China since their relations plummeted after a fatal border confrontation in 2020 that resulted in at least 20 Indian and four Chinese deaths.
