Coalition in strife over Tibet show "I made absolutely no political point": Julie Bishop. Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop has been accused of a diplomatic gaffe by the Gillard government after she spoke at the launch of a controversial exhibition on Tibet being staged by the Chinese government. A fortnight before the arrival of the Dalai Lama in Australia, Beijing media reported that Ms Bishop said the Beauty of Tibet exhibition would "dramatically enhance the understanding of Tibet." More than 200 images, most by Chinese artists and photographers, are on show at the Sydney Convention Centre, the same venue where the Dalai Lama will hold a public lecture on June 16. The official program says the photos reflect "Tibetan people's religious freedom and daily life." Tibetans have labelled the show "propaganda," and said they were dismayed at Chinese media reports of Ms Bishop's speech. No Labor government representative attended the Canberra launch. Ms Bishop has denied making the comments attributed to her and said she was unaware of the Dalai Lama's visit. Kyinzom Dhongdue of the Australia Tibet Council said the timing of the exhibition, was "perverse." She said 117 Tibetans had self-immolated in protest at conditions in Tibet, and China had rejected three requests by the Australian government to visit Tibet to monitor the situation. "Australian politicians and the public should be able to make a wise judgment and see the truth," Ms Dhongdue said. Ms Bishop said she was asked to make some remarks when she arrived at the launch at the Chinese embassy on Wednesday. "I made absolutely no political point," she said. Ms Bishop had said, with reference to the beauty of the Tibetan landscapes and people in the images, the exhibition would "enhance Australians' appreciation of Tibet." Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr declined an invitation because he had a prior engagement. His spokesman said, if Ms Bishop had attended the exhibition aware of what she was endorsing, this was her right, but if she had endorsed it unintentionally, she needed to be more careful. Tibet has been a sensitive international issue for some decades ... It is important to be careful of what you appear to be endorsing.