Though described by Mongolian authorities as a purely religious visit and despite no officials having met him publicly, the Dalai Lama’s recent four-day (18-21 November 2016) visit to Mongolia predictably provoked a sharp reaction from Beijing. Mongolia has a historic, symbolic connection with Tibet ever since the Mongolian ruler Altan Khan conferred the title of the Dalai Lama (Ocean of Wisdom) on the Gelug monk, Sonam Gyatso, in 1578. The Ganden Monastery in Ulan Bataar keeps a throne reserved for the Dalai Lama.[Source]
