BEIJING (AFP) - China dismissed a New York Times report that exposed the wealth amassed by the family of former Premier Wen Jiabao as having "ulterior motives" on Tuesday, after it won a Pulitzer Prize.

The story, which was published in October last year, alleged that close relatives of Mr Wen have made billions of dollars in business dealings.

It provoked anger from authorities in China, who said it was part of a "smear" by "voices" opposed to the country's development.

The Times' Chinese and English websites were subsequently blocked in China and remain inaccessible.

"Our position towards this issue is very clear. We believe the relevant report by the New York Times reporter is with ulterior motives," foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.

The Time's Shanghai bureau chief David Barboza, who wrote the story, told AFP on Tuesday that he was "honoured" after the report won the award for international reporting.

The Pulitzer jury on Monday called it a "striking exposure".