Gyaltsen Norbu

Gyaltsen Norbu is the Panchen Lama appointed by the Chinese government in 1995, shortly after the Dalai Lama identified another boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as the 11th Panchen Lama. Norbu's legitimacy is widely disputed among Tibetans, who view him as a symbol of Beijing's attempts to control Tibetan Buddhism and assert political authority over the region. His appointment is part of China's strategy to ensure that religious figures align with its interests, particularly in relation to the sensitive issue of the Dalai Lama's succession.