At an official symposium in Shigatse on Monday, Gyaltsen (Ch. Gyaincain) Norbu, widely recognised by Tibetans as the Chinese-appointed or "fake" Panchen Lama, asserted that all reincarnation processes in Tibetan Buddhism must comply with Chinese laws and obtain China's approval.
Swiss lawmakers from the Swiss Parliamentary Group for Tibet have urged China to immediately release the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, and condemned his 30-year enforced disappearance. In a strongly worded joint statement, they criticised China's interference in Tibetan religio