REPORTER: This year marks the 40th anniversary of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 15th year since China issued its White Paper on Human Rights. Cai Wu, director of China State Council Information Office, points out the importance of the exhibition held on this occasion:

"The exhibition embodies China's positive attitude in recognizing and respecting basic international rules on human rights. It indicates the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting human rights and is dedicated to promoting cooperation with the international community. Organizers hope that people can have an overall and objective view on China's human rights conditions and its progress through these kind of exhibitions."

Different from ordinary exhibitions, which mainly exhibit pictures, this show uses lots of multimedia facilities to help ordinary people have a clearer understanding of the issue. Dong Yunhu, the vice-chairman of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, explains.

"For example, we set up a big calendar model in the hall. By touching the screen of the model, visitors can watch documentaries reflecting human rights conditions in different eras. They can learn about the progress that has taken place in China. The description is vivid, so ordinary people will not find human rights mysterious and abstract. Instead, they will know how to safeguard their lawful rights and interests."

Yang Zhengquan is standing vice-director of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development. He hails the exhibition as a good platform of showing China's progress in human rights protection.

"So far, China has enacted more than 200 laws and regulations on human rights protection. Nearly all aspects of human rights related to people's social lives enjoy legal protection. In addition, quite a few Chinese experts have participated in the enactment of some international conventions on human rights. Since all of these have taken place in the past two decades, the exhibition shows significant progress in China's human rights conditions."

Many visitors also demonstrate their interest in the exhibition. Here is one of them.

"I think the exhibition is very important. I am glad to see China has done a lot in protecting human rights."

The exhibition will last until next Sunday. Along with the exhibition is a three-day seminar on human rights in China. Experts from home and abroad will discuss human rights cooperation between China and other countries.

Wei Tong, CRI News.