The Dalai Lama has warned of a possible "double reincarnation" with one from a "free country" after Beijing reiterated that his next incarnation must comply with Chinese law.

The Tibetan Buddhist leader on Monday warned that a successor chosen by Beijing after his eventual death could not be trusted.

He said it is possible that his reincarnation could be found in India, where he has lived in exile for 60 years upon fleeing Tibet following a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

"In future, in case you see two Dalai Lamas come, one from here, in free country, one chosen by Chinese, then nobody will trust, nobody will respect [the one chosen by China].

"So that's an additional problem for the Chinese! It's possible, it can happen," he told Reuters in an interview.