Senior Chinese leader Jia Qinglin visited a high-profile photo show on Tibet, which consists of 700-plus works by renowned photographers in the world, Sunday in Beijing.

"Tibet has experienced fast economic growth and social harmony and progress over the past 40 years," said Jia, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"These photos will make more people know Tibet, care for Tibet, love Tibet, support Tibet and build a still better Tibet," he said.

Photos in the show, held in the Cultural Palace of Nationalities, were selected from among 150,000 works by nearly 100 renowned photographers in more than 20 countries and regions, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China's mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

These photographers, most of them in Tibet for the first time, were invited to record the natural scenery, religious sites, culture, education, folkways, factories and the rural areas with their cameras in 10 days.

The photo show is held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region. It is scheduled to close on Aug. 17. 

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2005)