Senior Chinese leader Li Lanqing Thursday hailed the ongoing photo exhibition in Beijing on superstition andcivilization as conducive to the healthy development of young people and society as a whole.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and vice-premier, paid a visit this evening to the exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, which exposes the Falong Gong cult and other kinds of superstition, and highlights the huge contribution science has made to human progress.

Li said the exhibition is very educational as it puts science and superstition, civilization and fallacy in sharp contrast with one another.

The exhibition sends a message to viewers of respect for science and opposition to superstition, Li said.

It also helps viewers to better understand the evil nature of cults like Falun Gong and improves the knowledge of the general public.

He called on all departments concerned to hold more such activities to help young people cultivate a correct philosophy andbelief in science and civilization.

He also said that he hoped that the exhibition would be shown in other cities, so that more people would have a chance to view it.

A total of the 50,000 tickets for the exhibition have been sold during the past two days. The exhibition opened Wednesday.