http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080201/ap_on_re_as/china_panchen_lama_2
A 17-year-old boy picked by China as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest figure, pledged his support for the Communist Party in a rare public appearance, state media said.
Gyaltsen Norbu paid a "formal visit" Thursday to China's top legislator, Wu Bangguo, at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the seat of China's legislature, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The reason for the meeting was not immediately clear, but it took place amid increased sensitivity ahead of this summer's Beijing Olympics over what critics say are China's continued attempts to subvert Tibetan Buddhist culture and strengthen Beijing's hold on the Himalayan region.
Norbu "vowed to support the (Communist Party of China's) leadership and make more contributions to the Tibetan economy and social harmony by guiding more religious work to adapt to China's socialist society," Xinhua said.
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