VIENNA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The negative news from western media and one-side information from some books are making misunderstandings over the Tibet issue, Austrian lawmakers said Tuesday in a meeting with a delegation from China.
After decades of negative reporting by some western media, members of the Austrian parliament suggested that the real situation and history of Tibet should be displayed.
There are misunderstandings over the Tibet issue in the Austrian society, especially due to the book "Seven Years in Tibet," Peter Wittmann, a member of the Austrian parliament, told Xinhua.
Many Austrians obtained information regarding Tibet from "Seven Years in Tibet," written by Austrian writer and actor Heinrich Harrer, who went to Tibet in 1946 and was found a member of Nazi party in 1996.
Some westerners visited Tibet hundreds of years ago and left documents noting Tibetans struggled under serfdom which, however, is ignored by many westerners, said Hao Shiyuan, a Chinese scholar from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
"I think it is not easy to obtain positive news in this regard," said Johannes Hubner, a member of the Austrian parliament, emphasizing U.S. media's influence on the direction of European news reports on Tibet.
Since 1959, the Chinese government initiated reforms in the region, greatly improving Tibet's economy, living standard and education.
A Tibetan said in the meeting that his village changed a lot in the past decade, as hospitals and schools were built and people received benefits.
The double-digit economic growth of Tibet in recent years is one of the highest in the world, said Hao.
Hannes Jarolim, a member of the parliament, suggested that an exhibition on Tibet should be held in Austria to show the real situation of Tibet to the Austrian people.
