More Cultural Relics Added to National Protection List

Nearly 600 cultural relics in China have been added to the national protection list with approval from the State Council, bringing the total number to 1, 268, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) announced Friday.

The 581 new additions include ancient ruins, tombs, grottoes and stone carvings, and some contemporary architecture.

SACH Director Zhang Wenbin said that the fifth batch of listed relics outnumber any previous additions, which "shows that the Chinese government has paid even greater attention to the protection work."

So far, China has 27 relics on the World Heritage List.

Statistics show that there are nearly 400,000 immovable cultural relics on and under ground in China. They are included on national, provincial and county level protection lists.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/