An Institute of Chinese Cultural Relics official told China.org.cn at the 15th General Assembly of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, held in Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province between October 17 and 21, that assistance will continue to be given for the protection of Angkor in Cambodia.

Jiang Huaiying, head of the Chinese team for Safeguarding Angkor, said he has devoted himself to renovation work on the Chau Say Tevoda, part of the renowned UNESCO world heritage site, since 1998.

He said the government promised to continue to provide aid for another part of Angkor, Ta Keo Temple, after Vice Premier Wu Yi's visit to Cambodia in April.

The renovation work for Ta Keo Temple will start in 2007 with projected funds of 30 million yuan (US$3.7 million), after the current renovation project is completed at the end of 2006, Jiang said.

With the initiative of UNESCO and invited by the Cambodian government, China has conducted protection and renovation work at Chau Say Tevoda since 1998 with an original budget of 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million), later increased by 4.5 million yuan (US$600,000).

After research and investigation work in 1998 and 1999, Jiang's team has restored five of the nine Chau Say Tevoda buildings since 2000.

Chau Say Tevoda is an 8,360-square meter Hindu temple built at the end of Suryavarman II's reign in the mid 12th century.

"Most of the buildings were leveled to the ground. Based on comprehensive research, we found most original stone pieces scattered around the temple. We took photos of those dismantled stones and fed the images into a computer and then assembled them based on their shape and style," Jiang said.

Three buildings have been restored, using only 2, 6 and 9 percent of modern replica stones, said Jiang.

Jiang said the work of Chinese experts has been highly praised by Cambodian heritage protection authorities, being described as "most effective" of all the international teams.

China had previously only provided heritage conservation aid to one other country, for a lama temple in Mongolia in 1956-1957, according to Jiang.

In 1992, Angkor was proclaimed a World Heritage Site and since then teams from over ten countries have been working on the restoration of its Hindu and Buddhist architecture.

In 1993, the Chinese government decided to help Cambodia restore part of the Angkor site, but the project was delayed due to social unrest.

(China.org.cn by Wang Zhiyong, November 14, 2005)