Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Guan Qiang, vice administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA)

Mr. Deng Chao, director general of the Department of Cultural Relics and Historic Sites (Department of World Cultural Heritage) of the NCHA

Mr. Liu Yang, director general of the Department of Museums and Social Relics of the NCHA

Mr. Luo Jing, director general of the Department of Science, Technology and Education of the NCHA

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

Sept. 25, 2024

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), as part of the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Guan Qiang, vice administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), to brief you on relevant developments and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Deng Chao, director general of the Department of Cultural Relics and Historic Sites (Department of World Cultural Heritage) of the NCHA; Mr. Liu Yang, director general of the Department of Museums and Social Relics of the NCHA; and Mr. Luo Jing, director general of the Department of Science, Technology and Education of the NCHA.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Guan for his introduction. 

Guan Qiang:

Friends from the media, good afternoon. First, on behalf of the NCHA, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you all for your long-term concern, support and help for the work on cultural artifacts.

China has more than 760,000 unmovable cultural relics, 108 million pieces or sets of state-owned movable cultural relics, 40 world cultural heritage sites, and four mixed cultural and natural heritage sites. This shows that China is a major country rich in cultural relics resources.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the preservation and inheritance of cultural relics and cultural heritage, and put forward a series of new ideas, viewpoints and conclusions, charting the course for advancing the high-quality development of cultural relics and heritage on the new journey. The NCHA has fully implemented the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, actively acted upon the requirements to put protection first, strengthen management, tap into the value, make effective use of and bring to life cultural relics, to inject new vitality into cultural relics and cultural heritage and make them shine even brighter in the new era and forge a powerful source of inspiration for advancing high-quality development. We have made significant progress in the following five aspects:

First, the systematic protection of cultural relics has been comprehensively strengthened. The fourth national survey of cultural artifacts has been carried out in an orderly manner, and the concept that all valuable cultural relicts should be properly protected has been gradually promoted among the people. The protection of the Great Wall, cave temples, cultural-relic buildings, covered bridges and revolutionary cultural relics has been vigorously advanced. We have continued to carry out a national special action to combat and prevent cultural relics crimes and a special action to rectify hidden dangers of serious accidents in the cultural relics industry, and investigated and handled a batch of major violations of law by legal persons and safety accidents. The safety of cultural relics has continued to be improved.

Second, the study and interpretation of civilization has been further deepened. The fifth phase of the project to trace the origin of Chinese civilization has achieved fruitful results. Important progress has been made in the major "Archaeology China" program, which has further deepened the understanding of the connotations of civilization in the ancient era and further verified the origin and development of Chinese civilization. The deep-sea archaeology of the No. 1 and No. 2 shipwrecks on the northwest continental slope of the South China Sea has reached advanced international levels. Regarding land used for construction, the policy that archaeological surveys and explorations shall be carried out before the land is transferred has been implemented in 24 provinces.

Third, the inheritance and utilization of cultural relics has played a role in fostering a positive social atmosphere and educating people. There are 6,833 registered museums nationwide, over 91% of which are open to the public free of charge. Over 40,000 exhibitions and more than 380,000 educational activities were held in 2023 to enrich the historical and cultural nourishment of the whole of society. Revolutionary memorial venues and revolutionary cultural relics have played the role of ideological and political education. A total of 135 national archaeological site parks and project units and 187 provincial archaeological site parks and project units have become important places for the public to experience the breadth and depth of Chinese civilization up close. Programs such as "Searching for Ancient China," "China before China" and "National Treasure" have been widely acclaimed. "Guochao" and "Han-style" creative cultural products themed and inspired by cultural relics have enhanced the public's understanding of the fine traditional Chinese culture.

Fourth, people-to-people exchanges and cooperation have gained greater influence. The Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Asian Alliance for Cultural Heritage Conservation was launched, with the number of member countries, partner countries and observer countries of the alliance reaching 20. Chinese archaeology has entered the hinterlands of Egypt and Mayan civilizations, and 48 joint archaeological projects have been carried out in more than 20 countries, including France, Tunisia, South Africa and Central Asian countries. China's international cooperation on the protection and restoration of cultural relics has expanded to 11 sites in six countries, and projects such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the ancient city of Khiva in Uzbekistan, and Thatbyinnyu Pagoda in Myanmar, have been well received by the local people and praised by the international community. A total of 43 batches, totaling more than 1,900 pieces or sets, of overseas cultural relics have returned to China. Cultural relics have become a calling card to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

Fifth, the capacity for the management of cultural relics has been effectively enhanced. The draft revision to the Cultural Relics Protection Law has been submitted to the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress for deliberation. Cultural relics science and technology have been fully incorporated into the national system for scientific and technological innovation, with important progress made in dozens of national key research and development projects for cultural relics science and technology. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has established a new technical committee for cultural heritage conservation (ISO/TC 349), with its secretariat based in China. We have held the national vocational skill competition in the cultural relics sector, implemented a national plan to cultivate archaeological talent, released professional standards for cultural relics restorers and archaeological diggers, improved discipline and major settings of cultural relics and museum studies, and cultivated versatile talent for cultural relics to ensure a large contingent of preservation practitioners at the community level.

In the next step, the NCHA will join the efforts of cultural relics management departments and organizations nationwide to conscientiously implement the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We will strengthen cooperation with various departments of cultural heritage under the coordination of relevant central departments, jointly promote the establishment of coordination agencies for preserving and passing down our cultural heritage, as well as put in place an inspection system for cultural heritage protection to facilitate systematic protection and unified supervision. We will also institute a system of the defining symbols of Chinese culture and translate the strategic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively into vivid practices of high-quality development of cultural relics, thus opening a new page of cultural relics protection amid efforts to advance Chinese modernization.

That's all for my briefing. Now we are ready to take everyone's questions. Thank you!