The State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled “The Development and Progress of Human Rights in Tibet in the New Era”, pointing out that the succession of the reincarnation of living Buddhas in Tibet is “regulated and orderly”. The state and governments at all levels in Tibet fully respect the tradition of reincarnation of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism, strictly implement the “Regulations on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism”, and regulate the management of reincarnation of living Buddhas in accordance with the law.
Under the guidance of Buddhist groups, the succession of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism is handled in accordance with religious rituals and historical customs. As of 2024, 93 new reincarnated living Buddhas have been approved and recognized, and the legitimacy and credibility of the reincarnation of living Buddhas have been effectively maintained.
The white paper stated that the level of legal protection of religious belief freedom in Tibet has been continuously improved, which has effectively maintained religious harmony, social harmony, and ethnic harmony. Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and other religions have coexisted in Tibet for a long time.
There are more than 1,700 Tibetan Buddhist religious venues in Tibet, with about 46,000 monks and nuns; four mosques with about 12,000 indigenous Muslims; and one Catholic church with more than 700 believers.
