Beijing's heritage guardians will place the protection of cultural relics at the top of their work agenda this year, the city's Vice-Mayor, Zhang Mao, said on Friday.

A recent survey conducted by the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage shows that nearly 600 ancient wooden buildings, used as housing or as workplaces, are at serious risk of fire.

Meanwhile, more than 100 cultural relics scattered in the suburbs around the city, such as ancient tombs and temples, are vulnerable to theft since nobody is guarding them.

"Safety is vital to the protection of our heritage. Fire and theft are the most severe challenges we face," Zhang told a conference in Beijing.

Zhang, who is in charge of heritage protection of the city, recalled a blaze in June last year that burnt down some buildings of the 720-year-old Huguo Temple in the city's Xicheng District.

"The fire sounded an alarm for the safety of cultural heritage," Zhang warned.

He stressed that "eliminating the risks of fire and theft at ancient sites should be the top priority for leaders and officials involved in this field."

According to the municipal heritage administration, more than half of the city's 3,500 cultural heritage sites are currently used as housing or workplaces.

Cooking, heating and electrical appliances pose great threats to the wooden structures.

Mei Ninghua, head of the administration, told the conference that the local government of Chongwen District had moved people out of its heritage sites under city and State protection.

"Evacuation is an important method for guaranteeing the safety of our cultural heritage," said Mei, adding that his administration plans to relocate people in several key heritage sites such as the buildings at the eastern part of the Wanshou Temple, which was built in 1577 and served as temporary accommodation for the emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

In his work report during Friday's meeting, Mei also mentioned that a total of 32 cultural heritage sites, including the Pavillion of Buddhist Incense at the Summer Palace and some parts of the Great Wall, would be renovated this year.

The municipal government has pledged to invest 120 million yuan (US$14.5 million) in heritage renovation every year between 2003 and 2007. Some 100 cultural relics are also expected to be renovated during the period.

Reviewing last year's work, Mei said the most prominent event was the "explosive" development of the relics auction market.

A total of 72,834 ancient works of art went under the hammer last year, raising nearly 4 billion yuan (US$484 million), a year-on-year increase of 240 percent, he said.

"A single auction last year even managed to raise 650 million yuan (US$78.6 million). The figure is bigger than the total amount raised at all auctions a couple of years before," said Mei.

(China Daily January 15, 2005)