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Protection of Cultural Heritage in West China Urged
The General Office of the State Council recently issued a circular demanding the country's western areas to give priority to the protection of cultural heritage while carrying out development of the vast region.
The western region is a major source of Chinese civilization, as different local ethnic groups have jointly created splendid ancient culture, the circular said.
The general office urged the protection of local cultural relics, which are historical evidence of the development of the region by local people, it noted.
Local governments and departments concerned are obliged to protect relics and should work out plans on the issue, it said.
The circular urged people to find a balance between the protection of cultural heritage in the region and the development of the local economy. Local government departments in charge of cultural heritage need to accelerate the investigation on local cultural heritage and the drawing of maps on local relics, it said.
The protection of cultural heritage should be combined with current efforts to improve the local environment by returning farmland to forests and grassland, it said.
It also urged the building of museums in an effort to educate the public on cultural heritage and to use local relics for the development of tourism.
Cultural relics in religious or ancient sites and buildings should be protected, the circular said. It stressed the importance of fostering more professionals for the protection of cultural heritage and cracking down on illegal excavation, stealing, illegal trading and smuggling of cultural relics.
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