U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says more openness and protecting universal human rights is the best way to promote prosperity and stability in China.

The White House says Biden stressed the Obama administration's commitments to human rights during talks Wednesday with advocates of reform in China.

Biden's meeting came as he gets ready to host Chinese vice president Xi Jinping next week. Among those who met with Biden was Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth, who has urged President Barack Obama to challenge China to improve its human rights record.

Human rights activists say Chinese authorities have taken harsh action to stifle dissent. Another Tibetan reportedly set himself on fire in China's Sichuan province Wednesday to protest Beijing's policies.