China, which granted a rare permit for US Ambassador Terry Branstad to visit Tibet, on Monday hoped that the American envoy would make an "unbiased judgement" about the conditions in the Himalayan region especially on religion and the Tibetan culture.
Branstad was travelling to China's Qinhai province and the bordering Tibet Autonomous Region from May 19 to May 25, making the first trip by an American envoy to the highly restricted area in four years.
During his visit, Branstad is due to have meetings with local officials and visit religious and cultural heritage sites.
His visit is taking place amid escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies.
China's permission to him came after US early this year passed Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 warning equal and reciprocal measures if Beijing denied access to American citizens, government officials and journalists to Tibet, the homeland of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
The new law would impose a visa ban on Chinese officials who deny American citizens, government officials and journalists access to Tibet.
Currently, foreign tourists need a special travel permit to visit Tibet in addition to a Chinese visa.
Asked why China, which denied permission for US Ambassador to visit Tibet last year decided to do so now, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media on Monday that "we welcome Ambassador Branstad's visit so that he can see the major changes which took place in Tibet for past 60 years after the peaceful liberation."