China's fabrication of lies on Panchen Lama

First Post

08-05-2025

(File) A member of the Tibetan Youth Congress poses for a photograph before embarking on a motorcycle rally to create awareness about the Panchen Lama in Dharmsala on April 23, 2019. AP
On April 25, the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima — the world's youngest political prisoner — turned 36 years old. Yet, his whereabouts still remain unknown to this day. On May 14, 1995, when the Dalai Lama proclaimed that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, the Chinese authorities immediately abducted him on May 17 and anointed their own Panchen Lama— Gyaltsen Norbu (Gyaincain Norbu). Since then, his whereabouts have been completely untraceable. Nor has there been concrete evidence of his status, only fabricated lies from the Chinese authorities.
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China has been cognizant of the importance of the 11th Panchen Lama, given the historical relationship between the Dalai Lamas and the Panchen Lamas in their roles in identifying each other's reincarnation. Two possible scenarios could have ignited China to abduct Gedhun Choekyi Nyima chosen by the Dalai Lama. First, the Chinese authorities might have thought that the successor — chosen by the Dalai Lama — would not lend his allegiance to them to rule over Tibet. This brings the second thought that he can't be made the puppet of the Chinese authorities in choosing the next Dalai Lama. Consequently, those scenarios led to the anointment of their own Panchen Lama.
China's Fabrication of Lies
If China can alter the historical facts, then fabricating lies about the 11th Panchen Lama is business as usual. Right after the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama — recognised by the Dalai Lama — China fabricated four major lies about his status at various occasions.
First, the Chinese Spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry said, as reported by the Press Trust of India on June 13, 1995, 'The so-called issue of the reincarnated child being kidnapped does not exist at all.' Conversely, on October 19, 1995, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Chen Jian stated while responding to foreign reporters: 'Choosing the successor of the Panchen Lama is an affair to be decided by the selection committee, the decision-making authority lies with the Chinese government.' When a journalist asked about the status of the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama, as reported by AFP, he added: 'As far as I know he is safe.'
There was a global outcry about the 11th Panchen Lama's whereabouts, including the 'US Senate's unanimous adoption of a resolution urging the Chinese government to support the Dalai Lama's selection of the Panchen Lama'. Despite all the concerted pressure from the international community, China evasively undermined the global outcry.
Second, on March 8, 1996, Raidi, deputy secretary of Tibet's Communist Party committee, told the reporters (reported AP): 'Like other children in China, he will enjoy an education of that I can assure you.' Another striking lie was fabricated by Wu Jianmin, China's representative to the UN in Geneva, on March 30, 1996. As per AFP, he told the UN Committee Children's Rights: 'China was protecting him from possible kidnapping by Tibetan separatists.' These fabricated lies are a blatant attempt to gain leverage over their imprisonment of the Panchen Lama.
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Third, on August 17, 1996, China's State media Xinhua said, 'The Dalai Lama's illegal appointed 'Soul Boy' is leading a free life, just like other Tibetan Children.' After three decades, there has been no slight indication of his parents' whereabouts, let alone him.
Fourth, on April 26, 2022, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said while responding to the US calling on Beijing to disclose the real 11th Panchen Lama's whereabouts: 'The so-called spiritual boy is a normal Chinese citizen living a normal life.' This statement is the latest fabricated lie until the next one. One notable shift in China's approach to the imprisoned Panchen Lama is that he was labelled as 'a normal Chinese citizen', which ultimately leads to the assumption that he is being completely assimilated into the Chinese community.
A Puppet Panchen Lama
On January 12, 1996, China's Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin met the Chinese-anointed Panchen Lama and said thus: 'The Communist Party and government hope the 11th Panchen Lama will study well, grow up healthy and inherit the patriotic spirit of previous Panchen Lamas.' However, if the Chinese-anointed 11th Panchen Lama tries to follow the footsteps of the predecessor, he would sooner or later land behind the bars. The 10th Panchen Lama spent 14 years in prison or house arrest for criticising the Chinese government's rules in Tibet and the plight of Tibetans.
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Given the history, it is very unlikely that the 11th Panchen Lama — anointed by the Chinese government — would even attempt to challenge the status quo of Tibet under the Chinese authoritarian regime. Instead, China's anointed Panchen Lama made some rare visits to the parts of Tibet and urged the local Tibetans to uphold the spirit of the Chinese Communist Party. On the contrary, Tibetans in Tibet don't revere him, let alone the dictums mandated by him.
The lack of Tibetans' devotion to him resulted in paying 100 yuan to each Tibetan who would come to seek his blessings. This desperate gesture from the Chinese government indicates that the political investment in their Panchen Lama didn't reap any fruits so far, except a pending future representation when the Dalai Lama passes away.
China's three decades of fabricated lies about the real Panchen Lama have led nowhere, except to dodging questions from the international community. More importantly, this pathetic gesture has proven that China still has not been able to rule Tibet completely. Even if the Chinese-anointed Panchen Lama plays his trump card to choose the next Dalai Lama, history will witness yet another bitter episode — one where a fake Panchen Lama appoints a fake Dalai Lama.
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Yeshi Dawa is a former Bureau Chief at Radio Free Asia, Dharamshala and former Academic Administrator at Institute of Leadership & Governance, The Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.