Exotic artworks including sculptures of Ramses II from Egypt, faience plates from Poland, Alpaca weaving from Peru, lacquerware and wooden toys from Japan, and paintings from Russia are on exhibit in Beijing.

At the joint sponsorship of the China International Exhibition Agency and nearly 40 foreign embassies in Beijing, the Second Exhibition of Artworks from Foreign Embassies in China opened Friday.

Over 500 exquisite works from approximately 40 embassies are included in the week-long exhibition, covering paintings, sculptures and folk handicrafts.

Meng Xiaosi, Chinese vice minister of culture, told the opening ceremony that arts and culture are the common assets shared by the people of the whole world, and cultural exchanges can help people from different countries communicate and understand each other better.

Such an exhibition covering artworks from different peoples of the world precisely symbolizes and bears witness to the friendly, cooperative relations among the people of all countries on earth, Meng said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2003)