17th Pingyao Int'l Photography Festival opens

More than 2,000 photographers from 23 countries and regions gathered at Pingyao, one of China's best preserved ancient towns, in the northern province of Shanxi.

More than 16,000 photos by photographers in the United States, Britain, France and Sri Lanka among others are on display at the 17th Pingyao International Photography Festival (PIP), which opened Tuesday.

"It is a unique opportunity to participate in this festival. It is my first trip to China," said French photographer Philippe Vermes, known for his black-and-white portrait photography, at the opening ceremony.

"Photography is a binding force. It is the reason that we are here today to participate in this diverse and colorful cultural exchange," he said.

Photos that show China's industrial development by domestic photographer Wang Yuwen are on display in a special zone for exhibiting Chinese contemporary photography.

This year's festival also features works by American aerial photographer Jamey Stillings and leading British artist Marcus Lyon. The latter, in his work Somos Brasil (We are Brazil), documented more than 100 Brazilians through photography, sound and DNA sampling.

There will also be slide shows, videos, workshops, symposiums and forums during the week-long festival.

Launched in 2001, the annual PIP festival has been running for 17 years. Advocating diversity, internationalism and professionalism, it is considered an important stage for international photographers to display their talent.