12 March 2015
BBC
Papers
highlight a top Chinese official's stern criticism of the Dalai
Lama, accusing the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader of
"betrayal".
Zhu Weiqun,
the head of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the
national political advisory body, said on Wednesday that the Dalai
Lama had committed "dual betrayal" by commenting on reincarnation,
reports the Xinhua News Agency.
The
80-year-old spiritual leader has suggested that he may not have a successor,
saying it would be better to end on a popular Dalai Lama rather
than be replaced by a poor one.
In parallel
he has put in place a system for electing a political leader for
the Tibetan community in exile.
China,
meanwhile, insists it will choose the next Dalai Lama.
"Politically speaking, he has betrayed his homeland… The
reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be approved by the central
government," Mr Zhu says, adding that the spiritual leader had also
"betrayed Tibetan Buddhism".
Mr Zhu's
remarks come after a top Tibetan official on Monday accused the
Dalai Lama of "blasphemy".
Agreeing
with Mr Zhu, Xiong Kunxin, an expert in ethnic policies at the
Minzu University of China, says the central government "could still
set out to search for his reincarnation according to Buddhist rules
and foster him".
"It's not
up to the Dalai Lama to decide whether or not he will have a
successor," the pundit tells the Global Times.