The officially recognized 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, paid a visit to the city of Xigaza in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region Wednesday morning.

Accompanied by officials with the Tibetan United Front Work Department and the municipal government of Xigaza, the 11th Panchen Lama visited the main streets of the city including the "Xigezi" pedestrian mall, which cost 37 million yuan (US$4.5 million) and the Binghe Boulevard, which cost 32 million yuan (US$3.9 million).

When the Panchen Lama visited the youth activity center, built with financial aid from the country's northernmost Heilongjiang province, he delivered a speech titled "Tibetan and Chinese are daughters of a same mother."

He also picked up an illustrated Chinese-English dictionary on the shelf of the center's reading room and consulted his English teacher about the translation of certain words.

According to the teacher, the boy's English proficiency has reached that of students in the second grade of junior high school.

Pilgrims and others paid homage to the Panchen when he walked by Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery Square, while the big screen erected in the south of the square displayed blessings wishing him good health.

The 11th Panchen Lama was born on Feb. 13, 1990 in Lhari county of Tibet. The Chinese government enthroned him on the holy throne at Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery on Dec. 8, 1995.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2004)