Wuyishan City in east China's Fujian Province is planning to invest
215 million yuan (US$26 million) in building a research and
exhibition center to help protect and showcase the world heritage
Wuyi
Mountains.
Wuyi Moutains, listed as the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
site, attracts millions of tourists every year with its beautiful
scenery and cultural relics.
Local officials said the further potential of Wuyi Moutains, which
was listed as one of China's top 10 most popular mountains early
this year, needed to be cultivated.
"We need to better play the cultural cards to promote protection
and tourism in the area," said Zhang Chuanxin, director of Wuyishan
City bureau of culture and sports.
"The proposed world heritage protection and exhibition center will
provide a stage for China's advanced cultures and other splendid
cultures around the world," he added.
The center will be divided into six parts, including a Wuyishan
World Cultural Heritage protection and exhibition park, an
exhibition park of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites
around the globe, a Great Wuyi cultural classics exhibition park, a
park focusing on Fujian's cultural classics, a cultural tourism
service center, and the monitoring and exchange center for the
World Heritage protection.
Officials said the center would bring about 5,000 new jobs and
enhance the healthy development of relevant industries like tourism
and hotels.
The local government has had 1.2 million yuan (145,000 US dollars)
in place for the project and it expects both domestic and overseas
investors to join in the development program. The city is also
applying to issue 20 million yuan of state bonds to build the
center.
(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2003)