Washington, May 30 (AHN) The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) selection of the 11th Panchen Lama stands as a case study in failure, underscoring that legitimacy cannot be imposed and authenticity cannot be manufactured. If Beijing proceeds with efforts to influence the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama in the similar manner, it risks the same outcome marked by rejection from Tibetans, sparking international criticism, and laying bare Beijing's insecurity.

The lesson for China is straightforward — imposed religious leaders do not ensure stability but risk reinforcing failure, Khedroob Thondup, nephew of the Dalai Lama, wrote in US magazine ‘Journal of Democracy'.

“In 1995, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) abducted a six-year-old boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognised by the 14th Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama. In his place, Beijing installed Gyaincain Norbu, a figure groomed to embody the Party’s vision of Tibetan Buddhism under state control,” Thondup detailed.

“Three decades later, the results are undeniable: Norbu remains a ceremonial presence with no legitimacy among Tibetans, no spiritual authority in the Buddhist world, and no recognition beyond the machinery of the CCP itself. This failure is not merely a religious matter — it is a geopolitical lesson,” he added.

Thondup noted that Beijing has already indicated its intention to control the Dalai Lama’s succession, insisting that the 15th incarnation must receive state approval.

“The CCP has invoked the Qing dynasty’s 'Golden Urn' system, claiming historical precedent for state involvement in Tibetan succession. Yet this argument is historically tenuous and strategically misguided. The Dalai Lama is not merely a religious figure but a global symbol of compassion, resilience and nonviolent resistance,” he stated.

According to the report, a state-appointed Dalai Lama would be widely viewed “not as a spiritual leader but as a political puppet”, undermining China's credibility and alienating Buddhist communities across Asia — from Mongolia to Sri Lanka, from Nepal to Japan.

“The strategic costs would extend farther. Tibet remains a flashpoint in China’s relations with India, the United States, and Europe. The Dalai Lama’s global stature ensures that his succession will be closely watched by governments and civil society alike. A manufactured Dalai Lama would invite condemnation, deepen mistrust, and complicate China’s diplomatic engagements. Instead of securing stability, Beijing would entrench conflict,” it stated.

Stressing that the decades of Chinese repression have failed to erase Tibetan identity, the report said, the Tibetan people have faced “cultural erasure, religious restrictions, and political marginalisation" yet continued to preserve their traditions, language, and faith.

“The failure of the CCP’s Panchen Lama experiment underscores the resilience of Tibetan identity. Despite state control, Tibetans have refused to accept a manufactured spiritual leader. This resilience will extend to the succession of the Dalai Lama,” it stressed.