Xi's 'Self-Revolution' Warning - Editorial: 'Be Firm Believers & Faithful Practitioners' of Xi's Thought - Xinhua Article on Dalai Lama Succession - CPC @104
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
Page 1: The lead reports on the page are about the Politburo meeting and the Politburo study session. Xinhua’s report on the Politburo meeting says that:
The meeting was held on June 30 “to review a set of regulations on the work of the Party Central Committee’s decision-making, deliberative and coordinating institutions.” Xi Jinping “presided over the meeting. The meeting noted that establishing the Party Central Committee’s decision-making, deliberative and coordinating institutions is an important institutional arrangement to enhance the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over major initiatives, and to ensure the accomplishment of major tasks. The formulation and issuance of the regulations will further standardize the establishment, responsibilities, and operations of such institutions. The regulations are of great significance for enhancing top-level design, overall coordination, integrated advancement, and effective implementation of major initiatives.”
“The meeting emphasised that the Party Central Committee’s decision-making, deliberative and coordinating institutions must have a precise understanding of their responsibilities and roles. They should focus on planning, discussing, and oversight of major tasks, providing more effective overarching guidance and coordination over major initiatives. While fully exercising their coordinating responsibilities, they must avoid taking over others’ functions or overstepping boundaries. It is essential to conduct in-depth research to improve the quality and effectiveness of decision-making and deliberation, and to propose practical and effective policy measures. It is essential to avoid formalism and bureaucratism and deliver real results. Some other matters were also discussed at the meeting.”
The report on the 21st Politburo study session focussed on the long-term mechanism for improving and implementing the spirit of the 8-point central regulations and rectifying the ‘four winds’. Comrade Zhao Baoguo, Director of the Party and Political Conduct Supervision Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, was the guest speaker.
The report says:
“While presiding over the study session, he emphasised that self-revolution is the second answer our Party has found to break free from the historical cycle of order and chaos, rise and decline; starting from grasping work style to advance comprehensive strict Party governance is an important experience of the Party’s self-revolution in the new era. To promote the Party’s self-revolution, it is necessary to further ensure implementation in aspects such as raising awareness, strengthening Party character, regulating the operation of power, strictly supervising and enforcing discipline, and fulfilling the responsibility of governing and managing the Party.” 他在主持学习时强调，自我革命是我们党跳出治乱兴衰历史周期率的第二个答案，从抓作风入手推进全面从严治党是新时代党的自我革命一条重要经验。推进党的自我革命，要在提高认识、增强党性、规范权力运行、从严监督执纪、履行管党治党责任等方面进一步落实到位.
“Xi said that the eight-point regulations are a move by the Party Central Committee to establish credibility and a landmark measure for managing and governing the Party in the new era. Since the 18th Party Congress, the Party Central Committee has made a breakthrough with the eight-point regulations. It has insisted on establishing iron rules and enforcing strict constraints, on leading by example from the top, starting with the Politburo; it has insisted on a problem-oriented approach, and focused on rectifying the ‘Four Winds’ through concentrated education and a series of special rectifications; it has insisted on sustained, detailed, and long-term efforts, guarding and advancing one node at a time; and it has insisted on grasping Party character, Party conduct, and Party discipline together, integrating the rectification of conduct, discipline and corruption. It has curbed many unhealthy tendencies once thought impossible to rein in, eliminated some chronic ailments that were hard to eliminate for years, resolved many prominent issues strongly reflected by the public, and brought about a new look in Party and government conduct, thereby raising the overall level of governing the Party strictly and gathering strong positive energy for the development of the Party and the country’s cause.” 习近平在听取讲解和讨论后发表重要讲话。他指出，中央八项规定是党中央徙木立信之举，是新时代管党治党的标志性措施。党的十八大以来，党中央以八项规定开局破题，坚持立铁规矩、强硬约束，坚持以上率下、从中央政治局带头做起，坚持问题导向、聚焦纠治“四风”开展集中教育和一系列专项整治，坚持抓常抓细抓长、一个节点一个节点坚守和推进，坚持党性党风党纪一起抓、正风肃纪反腐相贯通，刹住了不少过去认为不可能刹住的歪风，祛除了一些多年难以祛除的顽瘴痼疾，解决了很多群众反映强烈的突出问题，党风政风焕然一新，推动管党治党水平整体提升，为党和国家事业发展凝聚起强大正能量.
Xi Jinping emphasised that the task of building Chinese-style modernisation that our Party shoulders is extremely heavy, and the governing environment it faces is extraordinarily complex. The string of self-revolution, therefore, must be kept tight at all times. Party organisations and members, no matter what level they are at or what work they are undertaking, must bear the responsibility of self-revolution. Leading cadres, especially senior ones, must set an example in self-revolution. 习近平强调，我们党肩负的中国式现代化建设任务十分繁重，面临的执政环境异常复杂，自我革命这根弦必须绷得更紧。党组织和党员无论处在哪个层级、担负什么工作，都应该有自我革命的责任。领导干部首先是高级干部更要在自我革命上以身作则.
Xi Jinping pointed out that to promote self-revolution, we must strengthen the foundation and enhance the Party spirit. To enhance the Party spirit, it is important to strengthen ideals and beliefs, forge loyalty to the party, cultivate feelings for the people, purify moral qualities, and maintain integrity. It is necessary to strengthen theoretical armament, adhere to the spiritual pursuit of Communists; actively participate in the practice of building Chinese-style modernisation, temper the life of struggle through doing work and starting undertakings, and elevate moral realms through benefiting the people; actively participate in intra-party political life, have the courage to self-examine, and consciously accept the education of the Party organisation and all aspects of supervision. In selecting and appointing personnel, it is necessary to strengthen the Party-spirit assessment, and focus on assessing cadres’ spiritual or moral realm and vision, along with character, loyalty, and integrity. 习近平指出，推进自我革命，必须固本培元、增强党性。增强党性，重在坚定理想信念，铸牢对党忠诚，厚植为民情怀，纯正道德品质，保持清正廉洁。要加强理论武装，坚守共产党人精神追求；积极投身中国式现代化建设实践，在干事创业中磨砺奋斗人生，在为民造福中升华道德境界；积极参加党内政治生活，勇于自我省察，自觉接受党组织教育和各方面监督。选人用人要加强党性鉴别，注重考察干部的境界格局和忠诚度廉洁度.
“Xi Jinping emphasised that in order to fight corruption, the exercise of power must be regulated. It is necessary to improve institutional mechanisms that integrate the authorisation, exercising, and constraining of power, making them clear, transparent, and traceable, and to focus on identifying loopholes in power operations and filling institutional shortcomings. Institutional enforcement must be strict, democratic centralism must be fully implemented, and power operations must be supervised throughout the entire process. Party members and cadres must always remember that all power comes from the people, and must always revere the people, revere the organisation, and revere laws and discipline.” 习近平强调，反腐败必须规范权力运行。要健全授权用权制权相统一、清晰透明可追溯的制度机制，注重查找权力运行漏洞、补齐制度短板。要严格制度执行，全面贯彻民主集中制，全过程监督权力运行。党员干部要时刻牢记一切权力都是人民赋予的，始终敬畏人民、敬畏组织、敬畏法纪.
Xi Jinping pointed out that strict supervision and discipline enforcement is a sharp weapon of the Party’s self-revolution, and that disciplinary and legal violations must be dealt with resolutely. It is necessary to combine intra-Party supervision with public supervision, pay attention to the ‘frontline/outpost’ role of mass supervision and public-opinion supervision, and promote the coordination and integration of various types of supervision. It is necessary to strengthen the daily supervision of Party organizations and effectively improve the penetration and effectiveness. It is necessary to increase the intensity of investigating and treating corruption, turn the hard requirements of Party conduct and discipline into hard measures, let the iron rules grow iron teeth, send a clear signal to the whole Party of unrelenting strictness and zero tolerance, thereby forming a deterrent effect. 习近平指出，从严监督执纪是党的自我革命的利器，对违纪违法问题必须坚决处理。要把党内监督和人民监督结合起来，重视发挥群众监督、舆论监督“前哨”作用，推动各类监督贯通协调。要强化党组织日常监督，切实提高穿透力和有效性。要加大风腐同查同治力度，将党风党纪硬要求变为硬举措、让铁规矩长出铁牙齿，向全党释放一严到底、寸步不让的信号，形成震慑效应.
Xi Jinping emphasised that the main responsibility for governing the Party, the responsibility for supervision, the responsibility of the primary person in charge, and the ‘one post, two responsibilities’ system together form a complete chain of responsibility, and each kind of responsibility must be strictly implemented. Leading cadres at all levels, as the ‘key minority’, must firmly shoulder the responsibility for governing the Party, be strict with themselves, take on their responsibilities, strictly manage those under their jurisdiction, and pass down pressure level by level, truly fostering a strict atmosphere and setting up upright conduct. Members of the Politburo must set the benchmark and lead by example for the whole Party in fulfilling the responsibility of governing the Party. 习近平强调，管党治党的主体责任、监督责任、第一责任人责任、“一岗双责”等构成完整的责任链条，每一种责任都要严格落实。各级领导干部作为“关键少数”，要坚决扛起管党治党责任，严于律己、严负其责、严管所辖，层层传导压力，切实把严的氛围营造起来、把正的风气树立起来。中央政治局的同志在落实管党治党责任上要为全党树标杆、作表率.
Xi Jinping pointed out that in carrying out in-depth learning and education on implementing the spirit of the Central Committee’s eight-point regulations, Party organizations at all levels must conscientiously fulfil their political responsibilities, have the courage to face problems, supervise and implement rectification, crack down on all kinds of unhealthy practices, improve the mechanism for normalising and long-term conduct development, and ensure that the learning and education achieves practical results. 习近平指出，开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，各级党组织要认真履行政治责任，勇于直面问题，督促整改到位，狠刹各种不正之风，完善作风建设常态化长效化机制，确保学习教育善始善终、取得实效.
Also on the page is a report on Qiushi publishing an article with excerpts from Xi’s remarks ranging from 2016 to 2025. The theme of the article is unity and struggle. It’s obviously interesting that as the Party marks its 104th anniversary, we get this piece. Here’s one’ excerpt:
“I said in my New Year’s message this year that happiness is achieved through struggle. Today, I would like to say that struggle itself is a kind of happiness. Only a life of struggle can be called a happy life. Struggle is hard, and hardships and difficulties bring success through grinding and polishing; without hardship, it is not true struggle. We must have the courage to purify our soul, temper our will, and strengthen our convictions through arduous struggle. Struggle is a long-term process. The predecessors plant trees and the descendants enjoy the shade. A great cause requires continuous struggle across several generations, even dozens of generations. Struggle is tortuous. ‘Great ambitions require sacrifice, we dare to make the sun and moon change their sky’. Struggle will inevitably involve sacrifice. We must always carry forward the spirit of great fearlessness and selfless dedication. Strugglers are the most spiritually rich people, and they are also the ones who understand happiness the most and enjoy happiness the most … The new era is the era of strugglers. We must persist in taking the people’s yearning for a better life as our goal, always work tirelessly for the people and work together with the people, and effectively implement the spirit of struggle in the entire process of carrying out great struggles, building great projects, advancing great causes, and realising great dreams, and create a vivid situation of struggling in competition and struggling in unity.” 我在今年的新年贺词中说过，幸福都是奋斗出来的。今天，我还要说，奋斗本身就是一种幸福。只有奋斗的人生才称得上幸福的人生。奋斗是艰辛的，艰难困苦、玉汝于成，没有艰辛就不是真正的奋斗，我们要勇于在艰苦奋斗中净化灵魂、磨砺意志、坚定信念。奋斗是长期的，前人栽树、后人乘凉，伟大事业需要几代人、十几代人、几十代人持续奋斗。奋斗是曲折的，“为有牺牲多壮志，敢教日月换新天”，要奋斗就会有牺牲，我们要始终发扬大无畏精神和无私奉献精神。奋斗者是精神最为富足的人，也是最懂得幸福、最享受幸福的人。正如马克思所讲：“历史承认那些为共同目标劳动因而自己变得高尚的人是伟大人物；经验赞美那些为大多数人带来幸福的人是最幸福的人”。新时代是奋斗者的时代。我们要坚持把人民对美好生活的向往作为我们的奋斗目标，始终为人民不懈奋斗、同人民一起奋斗，切实把奋斗精神贯彻到进行伟大斗争、建设伟大工程、推进伟大事业、实现伟大梦想全过程，形成竞相奋斗、团结奋斗的生动局面.
Also on the page is an editorial marking the Party’s 104th anniversary.
“The suffering and glory of over 100 years, the forging ahead in the new era, and responding to change and seeking change since the beginning of this year, all profoundly enlighten us: the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is the fundamental source of our continuous victories; the ‘two establishments’ are of decisive significance for us in responding to various risks and challenges and advancing Chinese-style modernisation. When more than 1.4 billion people think in one direction and exert strength together, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. Today, looking back at history, the face of China, the Chinese nation, the Chinese people, and the Communist Party of China have undergone unprecedented changes; looking to the future, as we strive to win the ‘14th Five-Year Plan’ and stride forward on the new journey, we have confidence and the ability to achieve long-term stable development and march toward great rejuvenation. At this solemn moment when the whole Party is celebrating the Party’s birthday, at a time when the profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating in their evolution, and when we still face many risks and challenges on our way forward, we especially need to ask ourselves about our original aspiration, rouse our spirit, draw inexhaustible strength from the Party’s history of struggle and the spiritual genealogy of the Chinese Communist Party, unite hearts and gather strength with fine conduct, do solid work and start undertakings, and with high morale, walk well the Long March road of the new era.” 一百多年来的苦难辉煌，新时代以来的砥砺奋进，今年以来的应变求变，深刻启示我们：党中央集中统一领导是我们不断取得胜利的根本所在，“两个确立”对于我们应对各种风险挑战、推进中国式现代化具有决定性意义，14亿多人民心往一处想、劲往一处使，就没有干不成的事。今天，回望历史，中国的面貌、中华民族的面貌、中国人民的面貌、中国共产党的面貌发生了前所未有的变化；眺望未来，决胜“十四五”、阔步新征程，我们有信心、更有能力实现长期稳定发展、迈向伟大复兴。当此全党上下庆祝党的生日的庄严时刻，当此世界百年变局加速演进、我们前进道路上还面临许多风险挑战之际，尤需叩问初心、振奋精神，从党的奋斗历史和中国共产党精神谱系中汲取不竭力量，以优良作风凝心聚力、干事创业，以昂扬斗志走好新时代的长征路.
It then talks about the importance of ideals and beliefs. The article says:
“On the new journey, ensuring firm ideals and beliefs as a lifelong task; no matter how the times change, no matter how conditions change, we must consciously be firm believers and faithful practitioners of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, forster the patriotic feeling of not failing the people, pursue a lofty ideological realm, strengthen solid and capable skills of assuming responsibility, advance in the face of difficulties, rise to meet challenges and dare to struggle. Only in this way can we withstand the test of the great waves and create achievements that can withstand the test of history and the people. 新的征程上，把坚定理想信念作为终身课题，不论时代如何变化，不论条件如何变化，自觉做习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的坚定信仰者和忠实实践者，树立不负人民的家国情怀、追求崇高的思想境界、增强过硬的担当本领，知难而进、迎难而上、敢于斗争，才能经得起大浪淘沙的考验，创造经得起历史和人民检验的实绩.
Other points highlighted are focussing on the people and the Party’s self-revolution and insisting on governing the Party with the spirit of reform and strict standards. It ends with this:
“Facing the future, time, momentum, and righteousness are all on our side. No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain the biggest factor of certainty and stability if we remain firm in our ideals and confidence, unswervingly handle our own affairs well, and unswervingly expand high-level opening to the outside world. Let us unite even more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, vigorously carry forward the great spirit of Party founding, and deliver new and even more outstanding answers on the new journey.” 面向未来，时、势、义都在我们这一边。无论国际风云如何变幻，坚定信念信心，坚定不移办好自己的事，坚定不移扩大高水平对外开放，中国就是最大的确定性和稳定因素。让我们更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，大力弘扬伟大建党精神，在新征程上交出新的更加优异的答卷。
Finally, there’s a report with data about Party membership. Instead of this, I’ll look at the publication of the statistical bulletin, which is on Page 4. Key data:
As of December 31, 2024, the total number of members of the Communist Party of China was 100.271 million, a net increase of 1.086 million from the end of 2023, an increase of 1.1%.
Data show that over 2.13 million people joined the CPC in 2024. Among these, 1.120 million members are working in production and work frontlines, accounting for 52.6%; 1.159 million members with college degree or above, accounting for 54.4%; and 1.784 million members aged 35 and below, accounting for 83.7%.
There are 5.25 million grassroots organisations, a net increase of 74,000 or 1.4% from the end of 2023. Among them, there are 306,000 grassroots Party committees, 330,000 general Party branches, and 4.614 million Party branches.
Gender, ethnicity and education level of Party members:
There are 30.995 million female Party members, accounting for 30.9% of the total membership.
There are 7.734 million ethnic minority Party members, accounting for 7.7%.
There are 57.786 million Party members with a college degree or above, accounting for 57.6%.
Age of Party members:
30 years old and below: 12.272 million
31 to 35 years old: 10.764 million
36 to 40 years old: 11.475 million
41 to 45 years old: 9.687 million
46 to 50 years old: 9.041 million
51 to 55 years old: 9.412 million
56 to 60 years old: 8.646 million
61 years and above: 28.973 million
A total of 28.108 million have joined since the 18th Party Congress.
Party committees:
There are a total of 3,200 local Party committees nationwide, including: 31 provincial (autonomous regions and municipalities) Party committees
397 city (prefecture) Party committees
2,772 county (city, district, banner) Party committees
Party organizations have been established in:
9,160 urban subdistricts
29,607 towns
121,270 communities
486,326 administrative villages
There are:
800,000 grassroots Party organizations in government agencies
1.001 million in public institutions
1.6 million in enterprises
183,000 in social organizations
In addition:
There are currently 192,000 first secretaries stationed in villages, covering 39.5% of administrative villages across the country
Among the 485,000 village Party organisation secretaries, 47.6% have college degrees or above
Page 2: There’s a report on the State Council releasing a three-year action plan for 2025 to 2027 to improve employment opportunities and public services for people with disabilities. Xinhua reports:
“The action plan encourages government agencies, public institutions, and enterprises to take the lead in hiring people with disabilities. It also promotes self-employment, flexible work, and assisted employment for people with disabilities. Targeted support will be provided for specific groups, including people with disabilities who are college students, who live in rural areas, or who are visually impaired. According to the action plan, a unified digital platform will be developed to integrate disability employment data nationwide, and efforts will also be made to enhance employment services across the country. Disability organizations and service institutions are urged to take a more active role in exploring suitable job opportunities and helping people with disabilities increase their income. China is home to more than 85 million people with disabilities, accounting for about 6 percent of the total population. From 2022 to 2024, China implemented a similar plan aimed at improving employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for this group.”
Page 3: There’s a report (English report) with the Ministry of Commerce saying that it will continue imposing anti-dumping duties on stainless steel billet and hot-rolled stainless-steel plate (coil) imports from the EU, the UK, South Korea, and Indonesia for another five years starting July 1, 2025.
“The decision follows the conclusion of a sunset review investigation initiated in July 2024, at the request of domestic stainless steel producers, according to a statement on the ministry's official website. The review determined that dumping from these countries and material injury to the domestic industry would likely continue or reoccur if the existing measures were lifted. The statement stressed that while the domestic industry has achieved a certain degree of recovery during the investigation period under existing measures, it remains in a state of operational instability with limited resilience, and the industry is still vulnerable to the impact and disruption caused by the subject imports. This conclusion is based on an extensive analysis of various economic indicators by the investigating authority, such as production capacity, output, and domestic sales volume of like products, per the ministry.”
Another report (English report) has the Ministry of Commerce saying that it “is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes Canada’s order to cease the operations of Chinese firm Hikvision in Canada.”
“China has noticed that the Canadian side has forcibly ceased Hikvision’s operations in Canada and banned Canadian government departments from purchasing or using Hikvision products under the pretext of ‘national security’, a spokesperson with the ministry said. The Canadian side’s so-called national security review lacks transparency and produces uncertain outcomes, the spokesperson said, calling it a typical act of overstretching the concept of national security. ‘Such a move undermines the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, erodes the confidence for business cooperation between the both sides, and sabotages the normal economic and trade relations between the two countries,’ the spokesperson added. China urges Canada to immediately rectify its erroneous actions, stop politicizing and overstretching the concept of national security in economic and trade issues, and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for businesses from all countries, including Chinese enterprises, to invest and operate in Canada, the spokesperson noted. China will take necessary measures to resolutely defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the spokesperson said”.
Page 7: There’s a report on remarks by Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, responding to Lai Ching-te’s speech at the DPP National Congress on the 28th and his third lecture as part of his 10 lectures on unity. Zhu said that Lai’s “speeches disregard the strong opposition voices across the Taiwan island, further deepening the divide in the island's public opinion, and escalating his provocative attempts to seek ‘independence’, severely undermining cross-Straits relations.”
Global Times has the full English report:
Zhu noted that in his speech, Lai played up the so-called ‘mainland threat’, repeated the old rhetoric of ‘Taiwan independence’, and heightened hostility and confrontation across the Taiwan Straits. His remarks, she said, were yet another round of fallacies that run counter to legal principles and historical facts, and ignore mainstream public opinion on the island. Zhu said that Lai distorted UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and challenged the authority of international law. By twisting concepts and confusing right and wrong, he continues to peddle the fallacy of "mutual non-subordination" between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, attempting to sever the legal and historical links between them and harm the national sentiments of compatriots on both sides. Such actions, Zhu said, amount to forgetting one’s roots and betraying the Chinese nation. ‘Lai continues to manipulate ‘anti-China’ rhetoric, smearing and slandering the mainland's sincere efforts to improve the wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, once again revealing his deep-seated fear and resistance toward closer ties and greater affinity between the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits,’ said Zhu. Taiwan is part of China’s territory, the two sides of the Straits belong to one and the same China, and compatriots on both sides are all Chinese, said Zhu. The historical context is clear, the legal facts are well-established, and no one—and no force—can deny or be allowed to deny these truths. She stressed that Taiwan’s recovery after World War II was a key part of the postwar international order and a hard-won outcome of cross-Straits compatriots working together to defend national dignity and protect their shared homeland. History must be remembered, and the fruits of that victory must not be trampled upon. ‘Any actions that go against the overall interests of the Chinese nation are bound to fail,’ she warned, noting that any attempt to split the country by pursuing ‘Taiwan independence’ is a dead end. People on both sides of the Straits yearn for peace, development, exchanges, and cooperation. ‘We are firmly committed to meeting the shared aspirations of compatriots for a better life, deepening peaceful and integrated development across the Straits, and respecting, caring for, and benefiting Taiwan compatriots—so they can truly feel a stronger sense of gain, happiness, and belonging’, she said. Zhu called on Taiwan compatriots to clearly recognize the obstinate ‘Taiwan independence’ nature of the Lai-led authorities, see through their hypocrisy and deceptions, and join hands with the mainland in being firm supporters of national reunification and peace across the Straits, and in working together for the great cause of national rejuvenation.”
Finally, outside the paper, Xinhua has published an article by Li Hui, assistant researcher at College of Philosophy, Nankai University, on the succession of the Dalai Lama. Li writes:
“Approval from the Central Government is the Fundamental Principle and Legal Safeguard of Reincarnation of the Grand Living Buddhas. In the Tibetan Buddhist reincarnation system, the three fundamental principles of ‘search within the Chinese territory, drawing lots from the golden urn, and approval from the central government’ form a comprehensive and rigorous framework for succession. This system serves as a vital safeguard for national unity, ethnic solidarity, and the proper order of Tibetan Buddhism. Among these principles, ‘approval by the central government’ is the system’s ultimate and most essential step. Far from being a mere administrative formality, it carries profound historical logic, legal foundation, and practical significance. This principle is essential for ensuring an orderly reincarnation process, as well as for maintaining social stability and enduring peace.”
Li makes three points:
Central government approval is a vital manifestation of national sovereignty: “The principle of central government approval is not an externally imposed requirement but an inherent necessity for the reincarnation system's own development—a crucial safeguard for maintaining religious order and preventing power abuses. The reincarnation of Living Buddhas is by no means merely an internal religious matter; rather, it reflects a convergence of national sovereignty, state authority, religious doctrine, and the sentiments of believers. Any interference or meddling by external forces constitutes a provocation to China's sovereignty.”
Central government approval as a prerequisite for safeguarding national unity and social stability: “Moreover, central government approval reflects the Chinese government’s commitment to implementing the policy of freedom of religious belief. By managing reincarnation in accordance with laws and regulations, the central government not only respects Tibetan Buddhism's traditional customs and religious rituals but also safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of believers, fostering harmony in religious relations. The lot-drawing ceremony was originally established precisely to prevent Mongolian and Tibetan aristocrats from exploiting reincarnation to seize religious power. Today, central government approval serves as a critical line of defense in the struggle against separatists. This governance model both honors religious traditions and defends national political security.”
Central government approval as a legal declaration of the governance of religious affairs in a modern state: “Over the course of the years, the Dalai group has continuously advocated ‘Tibetan independence’, attempting to negate the central government’s decisive authority over the reincarnation of Living Buddhas. Through legal provisions and institutional design, the central government has clearly established the irreversible procedures for the reincarnation of Living Buddhas, namely searching within the Chinese territory, drawing lots from the golden urn, and approval from the central government. This has fundamentally eliminated the room for separatist forces to manipulate religious affairs.”