BEIJING, China, Sept 4 (Reuter) - A Tibetan living buddha may have withdrawn from the temporal world and embody spiritual authority, but China's communist authorities reckon he still needs a Toyota Landcruiser.

Official delegates attending the 30th anniversary of formal Beijing rule in the restless Himalayan region gave 11-year-old 17th Living Buddha Garmaba the vehicle to help his religious work, the China Daily newspaper said on Monday.

The communist officials visiting the Tibetan capital Lhasa commended Garmaba, approved by Beijing as the reincarnation of the 16th Living Buddha Garmaba, for his patriotism and contribution to Tibetan stability, the newspaper said.

Beijing has beefed up security and unleashed a barrage of propaganda to ensure official celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet autonomous region are not marred by pro-independence protests.

Independence activists twice bombed a Chinese memorial plaque in Lhasa in the two weeks before an anniversary gala in the capital, Chinese sources said.