BEIJING, Jan 24 (AFP) - China kept up its pressure on exiled Tibetan spriritual leader the Dalai Lama Friday, denouncing as "lies" statements he made during 1996 overseas visits about its rule in the Himalayan region.

The attack, in a commentary carried by the official China Daily, also targeted a chorus of "biased" Western media, which it said had promoted false information originating with the spiritual leader.

In his 1996 travels, the Dalai Lama "showed up in Denmark, Germany, Australia and South Africa under all kinds of excuses, trying to convince the world with his groundless 'bad news' about Tibet and win sympathy," it said.

"Some biased Western media have joined the anti-China chorus by promoting the 'bad news' ... But those people who have some basic knowledge about Tibet will not be fooled by lies and fabrications," said the commentary, which was also published in full by the Xinhua news agency.

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after a failed anti-Chinese uprising in his homeland. His government-in-exile is not recognised by any country.

The attack came ahead of reported plans by the spiritual leader to visit Taiwan in March for the first time.

Although Taiwan authorities, like those on the mainland, view Tibet as a part of China, the visit is seen as rubbing China's top two separatist threats simultaneously.

Beijing views Taiwan which has been ruled since 1949 by defeated nationalists who fled China at the end of a civil war as a renegade province.