Living Buddha: Tibetans enjoy full religious freedom

"I think the so-called religious oppression was fabricated by some Western media and politicians for their own interests," he said after the meeting.

Buddhism followers of the Tibetan ethnic group spin their  prayer wheels to spread spiritual blessings to all sentient beings and invoke good karma in their next life when walking on a street in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet  Autonomous Region, in November 2007.(Xinhua/Soinam Norbu)

Chen's comments were echoed by Hua Chuen-Hsiung, leader of another overseas Chinese association.

Hua, a Taiwanese American, said he visited Tibet in 1984 and 2005 and noticed great changes in Tibet during his second visit. "It's obvious that people's life has greatly improved," said Hua.

But Hua said most Western people know nothing about the achievements that Tibet has made over the last 50 years. "Their knowledge of Tibet is rather one-sided."

Editor:Zhang Ning