BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's national religious groups gathered in Beijing Thursday to discuss ways of better telling the country's religious stories so as to present a true picture of China to the world.

Leaders of religious groups attended the meeting, including the Buddhist Association of China, the Taoist Association of China, the China Islamic Association, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, the Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China, and the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China.

Over the past 70 years, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has led the Chinese people to create a miracle of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability, the envy of countries the world over, according to a statement released after the meeting.

However, some forces in the world do not want to see new changes take place in China, the statement said, adding that such forces openly smear and contain China.

They ignore the facts, confuse right and wrong, and label China as a "persecutor of religion," in an attempt to damage China's international image and undermine religious harmony in the country, said the statement.

The religious groups stressed intensifying efforts to introduce the CPC's religious theories, principles and policies, share China's own experience in successfully dealing with religious issues, show its achievements of respecting and protecting freedom of religious belief, as well as progress in cracking down on extremist forces and preventing extremism, so as to present a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of China from a religious perspective.