China is defending its often-criticized policies toward Tibet 60 years after the Dalai Lama fled abroad amid an uprising against Chinese rule.

The official Xinhua News Agency says economic growth, increases in lifespan and better education refute the claims of critics.

Tibet is ruled under a smothering Chinese security blanket and many Tibetans abroad say the Himalayan region's resources are being exploited for Beijing's benefit while Tibet's unique Buddhist culture is being destroyed.

Xinhua said "undeniable facts and figures" related to development "debunk the repeated lies and accusations that aim to smear Tibet's human rights with vile motives."

The article didn't directly mention Sunday's uprising anniversary, referring to the events of 1959 instead as the inauguration of "democratic reform" that saw the dismantlement of the Buddhist hierarchy and feudal structures.