The 28th International Congress of Psychology (ICP) opened at the Beijing International Convention Center Sunday, drawing 6,000 participants from more than 80 countries and regions.

Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), said at the opening ceremony that the past 125 years have witnessed remarkable achievements in psychology.

He hoped psychologists attending the congress will take the congress as an opportunity to improve cooperation to contribute more to stability and development.

The congress, held in China for the first time, is the largest international academic conference ever held in the country. The six-day event has 80 world-renowned keynote speakers, including a Nobel Prize winner and more than 20 academicians.

Michel Denis, president of the International Union of Psychological Science, said China has made significant progress in psychological research and played a special role in promoting cooperation in psychological science.

Established in 1889, ICP has been held every four years since World War II and praised as the Olympic event of psychology.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2004)