Published by World Tibet Network News - Saturday, 2 December 1995

Source: Wen Wei Po', Hong Kong, in Chinese 1 Dec 95 pA3

[Text of by Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po' staff reporter Han Hua entitled: "Shen Guofang says chosen soul boy will help enhance unity of Tibetan people"]

Beijing, 30th November: Shen Guofang, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, said at the news conference held here today: The chosen reincarnated soul boy for the 10th Panchen Lama is in conformity with the doctrines of Tibetan Buddhist and historical tradition as well as the aspirations of the broad masses of Buddhist believers; hence this will exert positive far-reaching effects on the stability and development of Tibet.

In answering questions on the issue of the reincarnated soul boy for the 10th Panchen Lama, Shen Guofang added: The reincarnation of the Panchen Lama is an important matter to Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan social life as well. Progress in the work in choosing the incarnated soul boy has been comparatively smooth despite interference and sabotage from the Dalai Lama.

Shen Guofang stressed that the work in choosing the reincarnated soul boy for the 10th Panchen Lama would not affect Tibet's stability; on the contrary, it would further strengthen the unity of Tibetan people .

He added: The "soul boy" quotation marks as published chosen by the Dalai Lama is invalid. The Dalai Lama is not just a religious figure; he is simultaneously a splittist. A religious believer who is up to the mark must first be a patriot.

In addition, Shen Guofang indicated that actually the so-called reincarnated soul boy chosen by the Dalai Lama has never gone through any religious rituals nor any legitimate procedures; such an identification is surely invalid. On this issue, he said, there is no room for any compromise between the central government and the Dalai Lama. This is because the Dalai is not purely a religious figure; he is simultaneously a splittist. He wanted to jeopardize and interfere with the progress in the search for the reincarnated soul boy, but the main purpose was to split the motherland.

The spokesman said that the interference of the Dalai Lama had caused some effects and harm to the search and work in choosing the reincarnated soul boy, but there had been no effects nor any problems with respect to the child himself, whom the Dalai had chosen to be the so-called reincarnated soul boy Chinese: