'Tibet will be stable even if he passes away'

China Daily, March 8, 2011

Chairman of the autonomous region Padma Choling said many people have misconceptions about Tibet's realities after the March 14 riot.

"Some people think of Tibet as a troubled place, but they are wrong," he said.

"Actually, Tibet has always been stable and always will be. Some trivial incidents, such as the March 14 riot, are just isolated cases."

The Dalai Lama has said the institution of reincarnation might be abolished after his death. But his words should be disregarded, Padma Choling said.

He said Tibetan Buddhism's history spans more than 1,000 years, and the reincarnation institutions of the Dalai and Panchen lamas have continued for several hundred years.

"We must respect the historical institutions and religious rituals of Tibetan Buddhism. I am afraid it is not up to anyone to abolish the reincarnation institution," he said.

Zhang also explained why the government limits the number of foreigners allowed into the Tibet.

"In some rare cases and locations, the restrictions on foreign tourists to Tibet have been imposed due to concerns of Tibet's capacity to receive tourists and their safety," he said.

Tibet only has more than 1,000 hotels with 80,000 beds, so it is not feasible to allow everyone into Tibet during peak seasons, he added.