Ahead of his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama is set to speak at a significant three-day assembly of Buddhist leaders this week, with followers hoping he will reveal plans regarding his succession—an issue likely to provoke Beijing. China considers the Dalai Lama, who escaped Tibet in 1959 after an unsuccessful revolt against Chinese authority, a separatist and insists it will appoint his successor. However, the Dalai Lama has maintained that his successor will be born outside of China and has called on his followers to reject any candidate selected by the Chinese government.