“Since the Qing Dynasty, successive Dalai Lamas and Panchen Erdenis have been conferred titles and officially recognized by the central authority. The 14th Dalai Lama himself was also approved and recognized by the central government of the time. Honorific titles associated with major reincarnated Living Buddha lineages, such as the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Erdeni, have all been bestowed by the central authority, and their political and religious status in Xizang has likewise been raised by the central authority. After the reincarnation system of Living Buddhas was established, the central approval became its core criterion of legitimacy. In matters concerning the reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism, the central government possesses the final decision-making authority, which is beyond dispute,” said Yin Haiyan, associate research fellow and director of the Institute of Religious Studies at the Xizang Academy of Social Sciences, emphasizing that the authority of the central government in matters of the Living Buddha reincarnation cannot be denied.