As Dalai Lama turns 90, BBC visits heart of Tibetan resistance to China | BBC News

Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has confirmed he will have a successor, putting to rest speculation over whether the 600‑year‑old institution will end when he dies. In a video message eagerly awaited by his followers, he said only the trust he founded could appoint his successor and that no one else has authority to interfere. According to Tibetan tradition, Dalai Lamas are reincarnated after they die. China annexed Tibet in 1950 and the current Dalai Lama lives in exile in India, making succession a highly contentious issue. Beijing rejected the statement, saying his successor would be from inside China and must be approved by the government.