I've come to Beijing often this year and seen and reported on a lot, but what I saw going on inside the Beijing Exhibition Center this week is unique. Long lines of people, not waiting to see the latest artist or performer but to get a closer look at the Party – the Communist Party of China, to be precise. 

Flag-waving cadres from across the country and ordinary Beijingers on a family day out rub shoulders as they enter the exhibition. 

Already seen by 700,000 people, the exhibition is modern, interactive and meticulously curated over 10 specific areas. First, an introduction to the Party, followed by areas for economy, political system, culture, people, environment, military forces, diplomacy, one country two systems and the anti-corruption campaign.  

Tour guide Wang Xinghan shows us the political section of the exhibit and reels off the successes. “Since the 18th Party Congress, the Central Committee with Xi as a core, has firmly grasped the development direction of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics,” she told us. The guides really know their stuff and several speak very good English.  

And even if you are not a Party member, it's very educational on China's political system, its progress and plans for the future.  

In fact, I must admit, after days of speeches and press conferences, this reporter found it refreshing to see and feel examples of what the politicians had been taking about for days.  

In the largest hall, you can get up close to models of high-speed trains, nuclear power plants and robots that sort packages at a dizzying speed –  tangible achievements of the last five years that have taken other countries generations to accomplish.  

One area is dedicated to innovation and technology. Here, you can see China's ubiquitous Mobike and ofo rental bikes next to more singular achievements, like the world’s first quantum communications satellite. 

There is a real sense of optimism in the air. "The development of our country is very good," visitor Wei Zitong told me while standing next to a model of a robotic submarine. She expressed real hope for the future "especially in terms of economy." She added: "Our GDP is growing steadily. Science and technology have been developing very fast."  

Her friend Zhang Shuxin said it shows the connection between the Party and the people.

"I like this exhibit. I feel that the central government cares about us in all respects. The poverty alleviation part impressed me most. General Secretary Xi is nice to ordinary people. He visited rural areas in person, and tried to solve problems in people's daily lives." 

As the exhibit is about the achievements of the last five years, and General Secretary Xi Jinping is the core of the Party, he is featured prominently. We asked visitors their thoughts on Xi's stewardship and many singled out Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign.

“He is very brave," said visitor Sun Li referring to Xi. "He had the guts to start the anti-corruption campaign, and he put a great deal of effort into it. From our perspective, the corrupt officials now dare not corrupt" 

Originally from the United Kingdom and now a resident in the US, I tried to think of whether this exhibition had any parallel in either country. I thought for a while, and then I remembered my parents telling me about the festival of Britain in the 1950s. It was after the war, food rationing was still in force, but that festival looked to the future and technology and celebrated all the British achievements over the centuries. It's funny, I can't think of the UK doing the same thing nowadays, but the exhibition in Beijing this month feels right for a country changing so fast.