While the Dalai Lama is still alive and kicking, the fight over what will happen when he dies is already roiling. On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry declared that when he dies, “The title of Dalai Lama is conferred by the central government, which has hundreds of years of history.” The Dalai Lama had said earlier in the week that the post could end with his death, as he will not be reborn in China without a free Tibet. China in response has claimed the Dalai Lama needs to respect reincarnation.
