China on Friday released a white paper emphasizing on infrastructure development in the strategically important Tibet region near the Indian border. It says any successor to the 88-year-old Dalai Lama must be from within the country and his successor needs his approval.

 

All reincarnated Tibetan living Buddhas, including the Dalai Lama and Panchen Rinpoches, should be sought within the country, the white paper said. The decision should be taken through the practice of drawing a lottery from the golden pot and approval should be obtained from the Central Government.

China, which calls Tibet Xichang, is worried about whether the 80-year-old Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in Dharamsala, India, will appoint a successor, which could have a deep spiritual impact in the Himalayan region because his legacy is deeply embedded in the minds of Tibetans. happened.

However, Beijing says the Dalai Lama's successor needs its approval. Observers say he is concerned because the current Panchen Lama, the number two spiritual leader appointed after the Dalai Lama ousted a younger nominee, is not getting much attention in Tibet.

 

The white paper titled 'Communist Party of China (CPC) Policies on the Governance of Xichang (Tibet) in the New Era: Perspectives and Achievements' also outlines actions taken to counter separatism in Tibet.

"The fight against infiltration, subversion and separatism continues and Xichang is taking a proactive approach to combating separatism," it said. The white paper further said, 'The reactionary nature of the Dalai Group has been exposed and condemned, and the regional government closely relies on people of all races to oppose all forms.'

The white paper further said, 'It is now deeply ingrained in the minds of the people of the region that unity and stability are a blessing, while division and unrest lead to disaster. They are more determined to protect the country's unity, national sovereignty and ethnic solidarity. China has also strongly opposed the US appointment of a special coordinator for Tibet issues and criticized Washington's claim that Beijing should not interfere in the selection of the Dalai Lama's successor.

Regarding the current Dalai Lama, China reiterated that he is not a religious figure in any way, but a political exile who has been involved in anti-China separatist activities for a long time and has sought to divide Tibet from China. Are trying. It denies any crackdown on Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet, saying that China fully guarantees freedom of religious belief and promotes the Tibetan language along with Mandarin.

The letter states that religious activities are carried out in a systematic manner. The region today has more than 1,700 sites for Tibetan Buddhism activities, about 46,000 Buddhist monks and nuns, four mosques, about 12,000 native Muslims, and a Catholic church with more than 700 believers. It also highlights infrastructure in the border areas of Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims is part of Southern Tibet. China has built high-speed trains to Indian border areas in Tibet which enables it to move troops faster.

The newspaper report said efforts have been made to develop the border areas and improve the lives of the people there. Plans and specific programs have been prepared for the development of villages and towns. It also said Tibet is gearing up to become the gateway to South Asia with rail and road connectivity through Nepal.