China sees notable progress in cultural relics protection

China has seen notable progress in the excavation, utilization and protection of cultural relics since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, according to a report submitted for deliberation at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

China has 766,700 immovable cultural relics, 108 million pieces (sets) of State-owned movable cultural relics and 56 UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China," according to the report from the State Council, delivered by Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Li Qun, who is also head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

The country has strengthened archaeological work by approving the implementation of over 7,000 archaeological excavation projects, achieving important results, says the report.

Steady progress has been made in underwater archaeology, notes the report. For instance, over 180,000 pieces (sets) of cultural relics were excavated from Nanhai (South China Sea) No 1, a cargo ship from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) salvaged in the South China Sea in 2007.

The central government has arranged a total of 57 billion yuan (about $8.78 billion) for cultural relics protection since 2012, says the report, adding that an average of over 1 billion was spent on ensuring cultural relics safety every year.

Over the years, public security organs across the country have investigated about 15,000 criminal cases involving cultural relics, detained 14,000 suspects and recovered more than 100,000 pieces of cultural relics, says the report.

It notes that fire safety inspection was carried out in museums and cultural relic buildings across the country for potential fire hazards.

Efforts were made in improving supervision over the entry and exit of cultural relics, with over 3,600 pieces of precious cultural relics protected from loss, says the report.

Progress was also achieved in the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics. China has over 36,000 immovable revolutionary cultural relics, over 1 million pieces (sets) of movable revolutionary cultural relics and over 1,600 revolutionary museums and memorial halls, according to the report.

It says that over 4,000 exhibitions featuring revolutionary cultural relics were held nationwide during the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-20).

Next, more efforts will be made in strengthening legal protection for cultural relics, improving the system for protection and utilization of cultural relics and promoting scientific and technological innovations in the field, says the report.