On Sunday, thousands of people gathered in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala to celebrate the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama. World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sent their well wishes and support to the Tibetan leader, raising geopolitical questions for the future. As Tibetans celebrate, they also remain wary that China will appoint a rival successor to the Dalai Lama to cement its control over Tibet. But the Dalai Lama's global influence has already tilted the chessboard. Tibetans, not Beijing, hold the queen.
The Nobel Peace Prize–winning Dalai Lama, who has become one of the world's most recognizable figures, is known for his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing's rule. His ability to instill compassion and hope in millions of people has sown the seeds of a Tibetan identity that Beijing cannot eradicate. Because of his legacy and influence, the Dalai Lama has spawned a global Tibetan movement that outsmarts China and will ensure Tibet's cause endures regardless of who takes over his seat in the future.
China sent troops into Tibet in 1950, formally annexed it in 1951 through the 17-Point Agreement, and has ruled ever since. The Dalai Lama is viewed by China as a separatist and a threat to national unity, and has lived in exile since 1959. It was only after he escaped to India that he was able to formally repudiate the 17-Point Agreement. His global tours, books, and speeches have made him a symbol of resistance.
