By Rick Australia (  bbs.chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-04-02 14:22

I am an Australian who travels to China often, my best friend is Chinese and most of the honest, hard working and decent people I know in this world are Chinese.
I too am sickened and angry by the western media reports. Most Westerners do understand that the media only reports sensational headlines (whether they are true or not!)as this is what sells. Not all westerners believe what they read but some are gullible and China does suffer an image in the west which has been created by bias and untrue western media reports.

The only way foreigners understand the real China is to visit your beautiful country and meet the marvellous people. I know as I had my own misconceptions of what China was like (from reading western media) before my first visit.
From the moment I stepped off the plane for the first time I realised I was very mistaken and have since fallen in love with China and everything Chinese. I feel both hurt personaly because of the recent reports and embarrased that the western media still treats China this way.

But I do feel a sense of strength and pride in the fact that the Chinese people are now standing up for themselves and speaking as one voice (as the Author of the article points out)- keep this up, show the world you are all united and you will not tolerate false reporting anymore. This is the best way to get the majority of Westerners to understand the true China, when you don't speak out westerners see this a sign that you are too scared to so you must be oppressed.

For my part I intend to write letters to all the major western newspapers to let the general public know the real truth and I am always explaining to friends, family and strangers what China is really like so they no longer have misconceptions.

I am so sorry this has happened to China now, but on the other hand it has awakened the chinese people all around the world and you are a voice to big to be silenced.

My next visit to China is in May and I cannot wait to meet all my good friends and business associates again, to see your wonderfull and stunning cities and your marvelous history and culture - China is one of the "cradles of mankind" and you a rising to the position of power on the world stage that is your right.

Bring on the Olympic games, this will show the world just what China is capable of and will silence most of the bias western media reports.

One Dream, One World! Bless you all