More than 100 foreign diplomats and business representatives attended Thursday a reception as honored guests on the occasion of an ongoing exhibition of Tibetand Buddhist Relics in the Palace Museum here.

The reception was co-sponsored by the State Council Information Office, State Bureau of Cultural Relics and the Palace Museum, with a view to marking the 50th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The foreign guests viewed the relics with great interest, and expressed their appreciation for the achievements China has made in protecting Tibetan Buddhist relics and Tibetan culture as a whole.

Over 200 precious Tibetan Buddhist relics are on display, which mainly include Buddhist scriptures, pagodas and statues of the Buddha.

The relics are evidence showing the close political and cultural ties between ancient Chinese central governments and the Tibetan local authorities, Zhao Qizheng, director of the State Council Information Office of China, said at the reception.

Zhao said the relics fully reflect the consistent efforts the Chinese central governments have made in administrating Tibet and maintaining national unity.

He noted that the peaceful liberation of Tibet 50 years ago ushered in a new situation, in which the Chinese ethnic groups have become increasingly united, and brought about bright prospects for Tibet as well.

(People's Daily 06/08/2001)