Ambassador hits out at media

China’s Ambassador to the UK has warned that “misleading” reporting by Western media of the riots in Tibet risks alienating the young pro-Western generation in China.

In a candid exchange during a dinner debate on China’s climate change policy, Ambassador Fu Ying was unapologetic about China’s decision to restrict access, accusing media organisations of manipulating images.

“When the media is bent on making you look bad, there is no point in having them there,” she said.

She went on to say China would give unrestricted access, provided journalists made an effort “to report the story; not to make up the story.”

She also spoke of the “China-bashing” by human rights groups that focus on individual cases, while ignoring the millions of people who have been lifted out of poverty.

On Tibet, Fu said she “felt sorry” for the exiled Tibetans, but said the situation should be solved without outside interference.

To read about the dinner debate on China’s climate change policy please click here.