"Media must be objective about Tibet"

Similarly, Zhao said central authorities had achieved a lot in Tibet over the past few decades but a few stains that remain could paint a wrong picture.

The activities of the Dalai Lama abroad are also "responsible for the discrepancies in foreign reports that present an inaccurate picture of the situation in Tibet" and show China in a bad light, Zhao said.

Last year, Western media reports on the March 14 riots in Tibet and the protests against the Beijing Olympic torch relay led to strong reactions from people at home and abroad, who said the coverage was "negative and biased".

Zhao also said the media had a crucial role to play in the development of Sino-US ties.

"Most people on both sides have never been to each other's countries and they depend on the media for information. It is the duty and responsibility of members of the press to report accurately," he said.

Editor:Liu Anqi