The Dalai Lama's succession through his reincarnation must be approved by China's central government, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry's remarks were in response to the Dalai Lama stating that only his non-profit institution had the sole authority to identify his reincarnation.

The Dalai Lama's succession must comply with Chinese laws and regulations as well as religious rituals and historical conventions, Mao Ning, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular news conference