World Photographers Focusing on Beijing kicks off in Chaoyang District, Beijing, on May 29 (WEI YAO)

The annual World Photographers Focusing on Beijing exhibition began in Chaoyang District of Beijing on May 29. Ten well-known British photographers were invited by the Beijing Municipal Government to train their lenses on the capital of China. The photographing activity will end on June 3, and the photos will be on display in many places citywide.

"The Olympic Games is about to launch in London this summer. The theme of this year's photography exhibition is 'Olympic City,' aiming to share the common experience of Beijing and London as host cities of the Olympic Games," Yan Liqiang, Deputy Secretary General of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, said at the opening ceremony of the event.

Renowned photographers Andrew S.T Wong, Boris Austin, Colin McPherson, David Oates, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, Arnhel de Serra, Mike Kemp, Polly Braden, Peter Carney and Stephen McLaren are participating. Some have been living in China for years, while others have come to China for the first time. They are widely known for winning many photography awards around the world, and their works are often found in The Washington Post, Time magazine, and Financial Times.

"This is my first time to Beijing. What I see these days in Beijing changes my outdated impression of China," David Oates said in a speech.

In addition to the exhibition to be held in Beijing's downtown, the photographs will be displayed for the Beijing Cultural Week during the London Olympics, said Wang Hui, Director of Beijing Municipal Government's Information Office.

Since 1999, the event has invited 10 photographers from across the world to take pictures of Beijing every year. It has become an important cultural communication program for people to discover the beauty of Beijing from different and diverse perspectives.