Public speaks out against Western media bias

With a broader vision and deeper understanding of the country and the world, the Chinese public will not remain silent on biased and even fake news cooked up by some Western media, national political advisers said. The public has become more conscious of the political agenda behind those reports and is confident enough to air disapproval and anger.

"In the past, members of the Chinese public were not used to, or could not, communicate smoothly with the world. As they enjoy better living standards and become more confident, they now have the time and capability to express their disappointment over inaccurate information about China and openly discuss it," said Ji Zhiye, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former head of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

As China is increasingly integrated into the world, Ji said, the Chinese public is bound to notice that some Western media are accustomed to exaggerating certain aspects, and often jump to conclusions with partial facts from individual cases while ignoring the full picture.

"Chinese people's understanding of their country and the world is getting more comprehensive and deeper. So it's not surprising to see that many people are angry at some Western media organizations with a strong bias against China," said Huang Ping, a CPPCC National Committee member and former director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies.

On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying forwarded a post on Twitter featuring a photo of a group of foreign reporters flocking to take pictures of a member of the armed police on guard duty at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing during the plenary session of the ongoing annual National People's Congress.

"How to take a 'standard' photo of China by Western standards? Must include: Chinese flags, police, traffic cams, long focus, low angle and gloomy filters. Mustn't include: blue sky, smiling passersby, an objective view of China," she wrote.