SHANGHAI, May 19 -- China's security chief Meng Jianzhu and visiting Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon visited a painting exhibition in Shanghai on Monday ahead of an Asia security summit.

The exhibition, with a theme of peace and harmony of Asia, is a large cultural event held on the sideline of the Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Shanghai.

Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Guo Shengkun, Chinese Minister of Public Security and a state councilor, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Meng spoke positively of the sound momentum of Asian cultural exchanges and cooperation. He said the exhibition would offer a precious chance for art exchanges among Asian countries.

Rakhmon said cultural cooperation is a main area for confidence building measures in Asia, adding the exhibition would serve as a platform for cementing cultural exchanges, mutual understanding and friendship among Asian countries.