Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you, Mr. Guan, for your introduction. We'll now move on to the Q&A session. Please raise your hand if you have a question.

The Beijing News:

Recently, the Beijing Central Axis has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which has attracted attention from all sectors of society. What initiatives have been taken by the NCHA to enhance the preservation and utilization of world cultural heritage? What are the work plans for the next stage? Thank you.

Guan Qiang:

Thanks for your questions. Bidding for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List is also an important part of our work. For that, we have the Department of World Cultural Heritage. Now we will have Mr. Deng Chao, director general of the Department of Cultural Relics and Historic Sites (Department of World Cultural Heritage) answer these questions.

Deng Chao:

Thank you for your questions. In recent years, the NCHA, together with relevant departments and provincial-level regions, has made every effort to promote UNESCO World Heritage site inscription, protection and management, and has made a series of important progresses. We have continuously promoted the successful inclusion of cultural heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, ten sites have been added, including Beijing Central Axis, the Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. These additions have brought the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 59, maintaining a leading edge.

We have been making greater efforts to implement the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. We have created a world-leading monitoring and early warning system, and implemented a large number of projects to protect major cultural relics, such as the Great Wall, Palace Museum, Chengde Mountain Resort, Potala Palace, Mogao Grottoes, Dazu Rock Carvings and Maijishan Grottoes. The protection and management of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal have won international acclaim.

We have promoted the application of science and technology in protection of cultural heritage. The multi-field coupling laboratory for the protection of ancient murals and earthen heritage sites in Dunhuang is at a globally advanced level. Breakthroughs have been achieved with 3D laser scanning and digital modeling of cultural-relic buildings in the Palace Museum, the standard system for digital preservation of Dunhuang, the protection and display of archaeological ruins in Liangzhu city and the protection of earthen heritage sites in humid environments, as well as the protection of stone cultural relics in Chengde Mountain Resort.

We have continued to enhance our international influence. A joint application by China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan led to the recognition of the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor" as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We have hosted the 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and carried out cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in multiple areas, contributing China's strength to the development of the international governance system.

In the next step, we will intensify our efforts in the following aspects: First, we will comprehensively update the tentative list for World Heritage sites, deepen research on subjects of the World Heritage nominations and continue to promote the systematic application of tentative properties that are conducive to highlighting the historical and cultural value of Chinese civilization, embodying the pursuit of the Chinese nation as well as comprehensively and authentically showing people around the world ancient and modern China. We will act upon the arrangements made at the National Work Conference on World Cultural Heritage held yesterday, carry out special actions to enhance the protection of China's World Cultural Heritage sites, including the cultural and mixed properties, so as to effectively enhance the capacity for protection, management, research, display and utilization of our inscribed sites.

We will continue to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, deepen our partnership with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, and jointly promote conceptual research, rulemaking and international cooperation in the field of world cultural heritage. We will leverage the successful inclusion of the Central Axis on the World Heritage List to effectively advance the holistic and systematic protection of Beijing's historic downtown areas. Our efforts will include ongoing protection and restoration of cultural relics and buildings, as well as environmental improvements and revitalization initiatives. These actions will showcase to the world the rich historical and cultural heritage of our great capital, where ancient and modern styles blend seamlessly. Thank you!