The Dalai Lama, the 89-year-old Buddhist leader who has for decades galvanized global support for the Tibetan movement, laid out plans on how his successor will be chosen, a process that is expected to face interference from China.

The Dalai Lama has announced that he intends to reincarnate, paving the way for a successor to take on a mantle stretching back 500 years after his death. But as he approaches his 90th birthday, that news hasn’t eased the worries of Tibetan Buddhists who wonder: What will happen when this Dalai Lama is gone?

The Dalai Lama has previously said that he would discuss the future religious leadership of the Tibetan Buddhists on his 90th birthday, which falls on July 6. China, India, and the United States will be watching.