China wishes for the elderly Dalai Lama to “go back to the right path.”

China expressed a desire for the Dalai Lama to “return to the right path” and is willing to discuss the Nobel Peace laureate’s future provided specific conditions are fulfilled, the foreign ministry stated on Monday. The Tibetan Buddhism leader in exile, who reaches 90 this year, escaped to India in 1959 following an unsuccessful revolt against Chinese governance, yet he has voiced a wish to go back to Tibet before his death.

China is willing to discuss the future of the Dalai Lama provided he renounces his stance on dividing the “motherland,” stated Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, during a routine press conference.

Guo was replying to an inquiry regarding the passing of the spiritual leader’s older brother Gyalo Thondup, who had previously served as his unofficial representative in discussions with Chinese officials. Gyalo Thondup passed away on Saturday at the age of 97 in his residence in the Indian town of Kalimpong.

Guo stated that the Dalai Lama must publicly acknowledge that Tibet and Taiwan are integral components of China, which is solely governed by the People’s Republic of China, its official designation.

In 2011, the Dalai Lama resigned from his position as the political head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, which is not acknowledged by Beijing. Discussions with his representatives have come to a halt since then.

With the Dalai Lama growing older, the issue of his successor has become more pressing. China maintains that it will select the successor to Tibet’s religious leader. However, the Dalai Lama indicates that he will address inquiries regarding the succession, including whether and where he will be reincarnated, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, around his 90th birthday in July.