Text of report by Xinhua news agency

Beijing, 18th May: President of the Buddhist Association of China (BAC) Zhao Puchu said here today that he was "shocked and indignant" at the news that the Dalai Lama had declared that a

certain child as the "reincarnated child of the Panchen Lama"

Zhao, who is also vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said he had worked and forged a close relationship with the late 10th Panchen Lama, who had acted as BAC's honorary president. "I remember," Zhao said, "the panchen Lama had proposed that after his death three infants should be sought for who were potential reincarnations of the Living Buddha. They should then be checked one by one. He made the remarks at a discussion attended by representatives of Buddhist believers from five Chinese provinces and autonomous regions on 24th January 1989, which was four days before his passing away."

(...)