Relics are on display during the exhibition "Afghanistan: Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul" at the Palace Museum in Beijing. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, has opened a joint exhibition with the National Museum of Afghanistan.

Titled "Afghanistan: Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul," the exhibit showcases more than 200 precious items that demonstrate the development of the central Asian country between the third century BC and the first century.

The period has been known as one of Renaissance in the Afghan history, as it also coincides with the beginning of the ancient Silk Road.

The exhibition is part of an effort by the Palace Museum to showcase ancient civilizations of the world.

Exchanges between China and Afghanistan can be dated as far as more than 2,000 years ago, when envoy Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220) travelled there during his first mission. Afghanistan was also a major stop on the ancient Silk Road.

The current exhibition at the Palace Museum will run until June 17th.