China, in an unprecedented move, called off a joint summit on the financial crisis scheduled for Monday with the European Union. The reason for this particularly aggressive political maneuver is Europe's relationship with the Dalai Lama. Clealry the Spring uprising in Tibet rattled the Chinese leadership, presenting a global image of disharmony. And the relative weakness of Europe in the wake of the global financial crisis gives the China leverage. Britain, for instance, may have already sold out Tibet as a trade-off for a Chinese contribution to the International Monetary Fund. During a joint meeting between Asian and EU leaders in Beijing last month, the Chinese leadership felt they were humiliated by the European Parliament awarding its annual human rights prize, the Sakharov, to HIV/AIDS and human-rights advocate the day previous. China probably took that into account when making the decision to cancel the joint economic meeting that may have led to Chinese cooperation with European measures in dealing with the crisis. From Reuters:

China's foreign ministry had no immediate comment. But earlier this month it warned (French President Nicholas) Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, that the EU risked losing 'hard-won' gains in ties with Beijing if he met the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in the mountainous region, occupied by Chinese troops from 1950. China calls him a "splittist" for advocating self-determination for his homeland.

One of the big questions asked by the foreign affairs thinkers about the future of the region is: What will Tibet do after the present Dalai Lama? Aside from being their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama is, quite literally, the face of Tibetan opposition to China as well as head of the government in exile. The Dalai Lama has had health issues, and could conceivably pass away in the not too distant future. Then what?

Choosing a successor to the Dalai Lama is an involved process. After the present Dalai Lama dies, the High Lamas of the Gelugpa tradition search for a child -- the reincarnation -- who was born around the same time that the current spiritual leader died. The smoke from the Dalai Lama's cremation might signal the direction in which the reincarnation can be found. This, of course, can take years. China, which generally takes a far less spiritual in their outlook, has announced unceremoniously that they will pick their own Dalai Lama of Tibet, which they regard as a subordinate principality of China. Understandably, Tibetan Buddhists find this to be an outrage. The Dalai Lama, perhaps conscious that time is favoring China, has broached the idea of the possibility of a referendum on how to pick the next Dalai Lama or, quite possibly, abandoning the process altogether.

[Image: Phayul.com]