He does not live at the Panchen Lama’s traditional seat, Tashi Lunpo monastery in Tibet’s Shigatse city, but in Beijing and visits Tibet for a few months each year to meet government officials and take part in religious ceremonies, according to Chinese state media.

The Dalai Lama has often called himself a simple monk, but millions of his Tibetan Buddhist followers have worshipped him for decades as a near deity.

China claims its government has the "final authority" in deciding the future of the Dalai Lama and that reincarnation process must be in compliance with the Chinese law. Read on: