A charity exhibition in honor of World Autism Awareness Day kicks off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on April 2. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A charity exhibition honoring World Autism Awareness Day kicked off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on April 2.

Over 200 Chinese paintings, calligraphy works, drawings, and oil paintings by children suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were showcased at the event. The children came from special needs schools, therapy institutions and rehabilitation institutions.

ASD refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.

The exhibition was held to raise support for ASD patients and encourage them to integrate into society.

Official statistics reveal that there are around 10 million ASD patients in China at present, over 2 million of whom are children under 12 years old.

World Autism Awareness Day occurs on April 2 every year and is intended to encourage member states of the United Nations to raise awareness of the condition.

The exhibition runs until June 30.