The Chinese government's respect for religion and its religious policy are fully reflected in the search, approval and ordination of the reincarnated Seventh Raiqenliving Buddha -- this is a view shared by Tibetan lamas and the Tibetans as a whole.

All these actions were carried out in strict accordance with religious rituals, said Losang Wangjiu, a lama at the Johkang Temple in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.

Moreover, he noted, this proves the central government's true attention for the religious work and the central government's respect for freedom in religious belief.

"I will carry forward the patriotic spirit of the Sixth Raiqen Living Buddha," said Losang Wangjiu, adding that he would cherish the unity of the Chinese nation and firmly oppose the splitting ofthe country.

With the consent of the State Administration of Religious Affairs, the Tibet Autonomous Regional Government approved two-year-old Soinam Puncog, born in Lhari county north of Lhasa, as the reincarnated Seventh Raiqen Living Buddha.

On January 16, a solemn ceremony was held inside the Johkang Temple in Lhasa to identify the child and give him a Buddhist namein front of a statue of Sakyamuni, known as the founder of Buddhism.

Five days later, another ceremony marking the arrival of the Seventh Raiqen Living Buddha was held at the Raiqen Monastery in Lhunzhub County in compliance with religious tradition.

The Sixth Raiqen living Buddha, Dandzim Jigme, died of illness on February 13, 1997.

In addition to the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, the Raiqen living Buddha holds one of the highest-ranking positions in Tibetan Buddhism.

The tradition of patriotism and the spirit to preserving the unity of the Chinese nation have long been cherished and adhered to by Raiqen living Buddhas.