Party Chiefs Fête Their Panchen Lama

The communist hierarchy in Lhasa turned out in force to welcome the boy of 12 Beijing picked seven years ago, in defiance of the exiled Dalai Lama's choice, as Tibet's second-ranking spiritual leader.

The deputy head of the Tibetan government, Ragdi, led the team of party officials and army officers welcoming Gyaltsen Norbu as the new Panchen Lama.

The scene was rich with political irony of a kind familiar in Tibet as the officials in their dark suits greeted the boy, dressed in robes and flanked by monks.

Mr Ragdi congratulated him on his skill in learning the Buddhist scriptures under the guidance of the "party central committee and Chinese government". Gyaltsen Norbu, who lives in Beijing, where he is being groomed for political as well as religious studies, replied that his heart was "filled with gratitude" for the party's concern.

Last year a statement issued in his name praised the Chinese army's occupation of Tibet 50 years ago. When he celebrated his birthday this year he "expressed his gratitude to the party".

Earlier on Wednesday he visited the sacred shrine of the Buddha Sakyamuni at the Jokhang temple, in Lhasa. It was only his second visit to Tibet since being chosen in 1995 by a process stage-managed by the government.

The same year the Chinese authorities took the young boy chosen by the exiled Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama, and his parents, into "protective custody". Gedun Choekyi Nyima's whereabouts remain unknown.

Yesterday's reports described the "auspicious signs" which proved in 1995 that Gyaltsen Norbu was indeed the reincarnation of the previous Panchen Lama, who died in 1989.

They included a mark on the boy's tongue resembling the letter "Ah" - the most common sound in Buddhist prayer and the brilliance with which he identified a wooden bowl which belonged to the Tashil hunpo monastery in Shigatse - the home of the Panchen Lamas.

The controversy in 1995 placed the monks of Tashilhunpo in a difficult position, forced to choose publicly between Beijing and the Dalai Lama.

Any chance of a tacit agreement to select the same candidate was lost when the Dalai Lama announced his choice first.

Historically, the Panchen Lama and the Tashilhunpo monastic establishment have been regarded as more sympathetic to Beijing.

Although Tibetan communist leaders want to reduce the influence of religion, they have to accept that almost the entire population, including some of their junior officials, are fervent believers.

Gyaltsen Norbu is expected to visit Shigatse - Tibet's second city - where he will receive an equally "warm welcome" from local officials and religious leaders.