Dalai Lama book to guide Tibetans after his death

The Dalai Lama published a book yesterday that he says is a "framework for the future of Tibet", to guide compatriots in relations with Beijing after his death.

China -- which says Tibet is an integral part of the country -- has responded by saying the Dalai Lama "has no right to represent the Tibetan people".

Many exiled Tibetans fear Beijing will name a successor to the Dalai Lama when he dies, bolstering control over a land it poured troops into in 1950.

The book, "Voice for the Voiceless", describes the Dalai Lama dealing with successive leaders of the People's Republic of China on behalf of Tibet and its people.

Over centuries, Tibet has alternated between independence and being controlled by China.

Celebrating his 90th birthday in July, the Dalai Lama is among a fading few who can remember what their homeland was like before the failed 1959 uprising.

He fled to India that year, and said the book details the "persistent efforts" he has made over seven decades to "save my homeland and people".

"Despite all the suffering and destruction, we still hold fast to the hope for a peaceful resolution of our struggle for freedom and dignity," the Dalai Lama said in a statement about the book.

"From a 19-year-old negotiating with Chairman Mao at the height of his powers in Beijing to my recent attempts to communicate with President Xi Jinping, I convey in this book the sincerity of our efforts. ... My hope is that the book will... provide a framework for the future of Tibet even after I am gone."