Several senior Chinese officials visited an on-going calligraphy and painting exhibition Wednesday to mark late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's 100th birthday.

Deng, who died in 1997 at age 92, introduced the reform and opening-up policies in China that paved the way for a market economy.

The visitors included Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, Cheng Siwei and Gu Xiulian, vice-chairman and vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, State Councilor Hua Jianmin, and Liu Yandong, vice-chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Sponsored by the Central Cultural and Historical Research Institute, the exhibition, held at the Nationalities Palace, has collected more than 200 pieces of paintings and calligraphy in contemporary and ancient Chinese and minority languages.

The exhibits are all done by the employees of dozens of the institute's branches across the country.

The exhibition is scheduled to close on Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2004)