US Urges China to Release Panchen Lama on 31st Anniversary of His Disappearance

Washington, May 2026 : The United States has renewed its call for China to immediately release the Panchen Lama, one of the most revered figures in Tibetan Buddhism, marking 31 years since his disappearance as a six-year-old child after being recognised by the Dalai Lama.

In a statement issued on Monday, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family were taken away by Chinese authorities shortly after the Dalai Lama identified him in 1995 as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest spiritual authority in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama.

“Yesterday was the 31st anniversary of the disappearance of the Tibetan religious leader known as the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima,” Pigott said.

“Days after the Dalai Lama recognized this child as an important future Tibetan Buddhist leader, Chinese authorities disappeared him and his family. He was six years old,” he added.

The statement reflected Washington’s continuing criticism of Beijing’s policies in Tibet and its control over Tibetan religious institutions and traditions. The US accused Chinese authorities of suppressing religious freedom and interfering in matters of faith and spiritual leadership.

“Chinese authorities should immediately release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family and stop persecuting Tibetans or others in China for their religious beliefs,” Pigott said.

The United States also reaffirmed its support for the religious, cultural, and linguistic rights of the Tibetan people. According to the State Department, Tibetans should have the freedom to preserve their identity and practice their religion without state interference.

“The United States supports religious freedom for Tibetans, and the freedom to preserve their unique cultural and linguistic identity,” the statement noted.

Washington further stressed that Tibetan Buddhists should be free to choose their own spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, in accordance with their religious beliefs and traditions.

“Tibetan Buddhists, like members of all religious communities, should have the ability to freely select their own leaders – like the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama – according to their beliefs and without party-state interference,” Pigott stated.

China has maintained strict political and administrative control over Tibet for decades and has frequently faced criticism from international human rights groups and Western governments over its policies in the region.

After rejecting the Dalai Lama’s recognition of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima in 1995, Beijing appointed another boy, Gyaincain Norbu, as the official state-backed Panchen Lama, a move that remains controversial among many Tibetans and supporters of the Tibetan spiritual leadership.

Team Maverick.