Southwest China's Yunnan
Province is expected to invest 200 million yuan (about US$25
million) to protect the ancient city of Lijiang,
a world renowned cultural heritage site.
The money will be used mainly to repair and upgrade the sewage
and drainage networks, to renovate the ancient building complex of
imperial Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368-1911) and to tear down two
markets and a building, covering an area of some 30,000 square
meters that is not in harmony with the original structure style in
the city, according to local government.
The ancient city of Lijiang, situated on a magnificent plateau
2,600 meters above sea level, is noted for its unique landscape,
minority ethnic groups, earth-wooden residential constructions, and
the rich culture of the ethnic Naxi people, which have made Lijiang
a hot Chinese tourist destination.
In 1997, Lijiang was listed as one of the World Cultural
Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization.
According to local tourism authorities, Lijiang hosted 1.57
million visitors in 1998, and the figure has remained approximately
4 million since 2002.
To retain the original look of Lijiang, the local government
spent 6 billion yuan (some US$740 million) to begin rebuilding a
new city covering more than 330 hectares to accommodate residents
and enterprises that were relocated from the ancient city in
2002
In addition, the local city government has invested more than 93
million yuan (US$11.5 million) to repair the electric power grid,
telecommunications lines and road networks both in and around the
ancient city.
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)