The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, turns 90 today (Jul 6) after a week of celebrations by followers during which he riled China once again and spoke about his hope to live beyond 130 and reincarnate after dying.The Nobel laureate is considered as one of the worlds most prominent spiritual leaders, with a following that extends well beyond Buddhism, however not by Beijing which calls him a separatist.Fleeing his native Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule, the 14th Dalai Lama along with hundreds of countless Tibetans nestled in India and has since advocated for a tranquil Middle Way to look for autonomy and spiritual liberty for Tibetan people.Thousands of followers from around the globe, celebrities and officials from the United States and India, will attend his birthday events in Dharamshala, the little Indian town in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Dalai Lama lives.During the celebrations, which will consist of cultural performances and remarks by veteran follower and Hollywood star Richard Gere along with federal Indian ministers, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to deliver a speech.The preceding week of celebrations was particularly crucial for Tibetan Buddhists as the Dalai Lama had formerly discussed that he would speak about his succession at his 90th birthday.On Wednesday, he allayed their issues about the future of the institution of the Dalai Lama by saying that he would reincarnate as the leader of the faith upon his death and that his non-profit institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, had the sole authority to recognise his successor.China has stated that the succession will need to be approved by its leaders.The US, which is looking for to counter the increase of China, has contacted Beijing to cease what it refers to as interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist lamas.Source: Reuters- Agencies