China says it will decide who takes over from the Dalai Lama as Tibetan spiritual leader when he dies- and not the Dalai Lama.
The foreign ministry says the title of Dalai Lama was conferred by the central government and any successor chosen by the current, exiled Dalai Lama would be illegal.
On Saturday, the Dalai Lama said he will consult Buddhist scholars in about 15 years, to see whether he should be reincarnated.
