The Grand Canal -- the world's oldest and longest man-made river deserves the same heritage status as the Great Wall of China, a top heritage official said.

"It is urgent that the State Council publish a regulation on the conservation of the Great Canal as soon as possible," Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said.

The canal should also be placed on the World Cultural Heritage list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Shan a CPPCC member, added.

The 2,500-year-old canal was a vital route for trade and transport, linking Beijing and Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

But after centuries of wars, development and neglect, the Grand Canal has suffered serious damage along its route. 

"Some parts of the canal have dried up, some are heavily polluted, some are blocked by construction projects, and a few others are totally ruined," Shan said.

"The messy management of local governments caused great losses to the Great Canal and damage to its cultural heritage."

Preservation laws for the canal are desperately needed, he said. A 2006 regulation states all "citizens, legal entities and organizations" are obligated to protect the Great Wall of China and report any "illegal activity".

According to the Criminal Law, anyone who deliberately destroys State or provincial-level cultural relics face up to 10 years in prison.

(China Daily March 9, 2007)