US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson with Chinese President Hu Jintao, during meeting in Beijing, 02 Apr 2008

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says he has expressed concern to Chinese officials about recent violence in Tibet.

Paulson said Wednesday in Beijing that he appealed to the Chinese officials to seek a peaceful resolution of the unrest through dialogue. Paulson spoke after talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Chinese state media say Yang told the U.S. official that Washington should understand Beijing's position on the recent riots in Tibet's regional capital, Lhasa.

Foreign Minister Yang also is quoted as saying the United States should see what he says is the "true nature" of the Dalai Lama. Beijing accuses the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader of instigating the violence in China, a charge he denies.

Paulson is the most senior U.S. official to visit China since it began cracking down on protests in Tibet and other regions last month.

Chinese media say Yang told Paulson that China's crackdown on the anti-government protests is in accordance with the law and has the support of the Chinese people.

In another development, Nepalese police arrested about 50 Tibetan exiles who held a protest outside the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu Tuesday. Tibetan exiles in Nepal have been holding almost daily anti-China rallies in solidarity with protesters in Tibet since March 10.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.