'Panchen Lama' appears at Buddhist conference

The boy chosen by China as the reincarnation of Tibetan holy figure the Panchen Lama made a rare public appearance at the start of an international Buddhist conference today.

Gyaltsen Norbu, 16, is the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism and a key player in the struggle for the religion’s future that pits China’s officially atheistic communist regime against supporters of the exiled Dalai Lama.

Norbu is believed to live in Beijing amid intense secrecy and is almost never seen in public.

Today, he was seated on stage at the opening of the five-day World Buddhist Forum in Hangzhou, a showcase for China’s cultural diplomacy and an indication of the government’s desire to use traditional beliefs to ease social tensions.

The tall, thin teenager delivered a 10-minute speech in Tibetan that, according to an official translation, dwelt on Buddhism’s responsibility to foster patriotism and national unity.

“Defending the nation and working for the people is a solemn commitment Buddhism has made to the nation and society,” Norbu said.