Special report: Reconstruction After Earthquake　

    WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition showing moments of rescue and relief efforts after China's devastating earthquake in May was unveiled in Washington on Monday.

    The 10-day exhibition on the Sichuan earthquake on May 12 presented nearly 50 photos telling stories of "relief, recovery and reconstruction" in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

    "The photos on exhibit today record the tremendous losses and bring back tragic memories of the devastating moment," Xie Feng, Chinese Charge d'affaires to the United States said at the opening ceremony.

    "They highlight the principle and practice of putting people's interest first, capture the persistence and heroism of Chinese servicemen, police officers, medical workers and NGOs who raced against time to save lives, and showcase the extraordinary courage and fraternity of the Chinese public," he said.

    In some photos, foreign aid workers from all over the world were seen joining with Chinese in searching and rescuing earthquake victims, including some trying to reach the quake victims under the debris.

    The photos also include the ones showing U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, in a mourning ceremony at the Chinese embassy on May 21 and State Secretary Condoleezza Rice's visit to the earthquake region in late June.

    "They are also vivid and genuine reflections of the true friendship and goodwill of the international community including the U.S. leader and American people," Xie said.

    Michael Davis, an executive of a Washington-based human right group, told Xinhua that he was impressed by the efforts of the Chinese government to give assistance to its people.

    Lauren Freeman from the political publication, Executive Intelligence Review said he was impressed by photos showing Chinese army soldiers dropping rescue supplies from airplanes only several days after the earthquake and a policewoman breastfeeding a baby victim.

    "We have been very sympathetic with the situation in China and we are happy that China could rescue people at very fast pace with very aggressive efforts," he said.

    Freeman said that he was opposed to foreign reports attacking China and the Beijing Olympic games in the name of human right.

    "The most sacred human right is human life," he said. "So the first thing to do is to give people lives, food, housing and opportunities"

    By seeing two pictures comparing a Sichuan village before and after the earthquake, Susan Norton, National Geography's museum director, said that the photo exhibition "makes it even more real "to see the damage left by the earthquake, and offers the American public an opportunity to "see something other than news reports."

    With only days to go before the 2008 Beijing Olympic games which kick off on Friday, Xie said while Chinese government and people continue to battle the devastation of the earthquake with recovery and reconstruction efforts, they are ready to deliver a high-standard Olympic games with distinctive Chinese features.

    "We hope in the same spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation with the Chinese people during the earthquake relief, our American friends will continue to support us in hosting a successful Olympic games," he said.