The Chinese government has approved the first batch of 30
national heritage sites, including 17 natural heritage and 13
natural and cultural heritage sites, the Ministry of Construction
said Wednesday.
Among the 30 sites are Qinghai Lake in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Wutai Mountain known for its
many ancient Buddhist temples in north China's Shanxi Province, and
Jiuhuashan Mountain in east China's Anhui Province.
Chen Xiaoli, the ministry's chief planner, said the
establishment of the national heritage system was an important
development in China's national heritage protection system.
Sites on the national heritage list would have priority for
candidacy for world heritage sites, she said.
Candidates for national heritage sites would receive guidance
and assistance from the ministry regarding the protection of
resources, establishing an administration, and the World Heritage
Committee rules, to pave the way for their inclusion on the World
Heritage List, she said.
China has 31 world heritage sites, second only to Spain and
Italy.
Chen warned that all national heritage sites must strictly
observe the rules for their management, or risk removal from the
list.
?
(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2006)
