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!
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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!
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CCTV:
The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made arrangements for deepening institutional reforms and called for the establishment of an inspection system for cultural heritage protection. Can you talk about what the NCHA has done in recent years to ensure the safety of cultural relics and what measures will be taken in the next step? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Thank you for your question. The safety of cultural relics is the bottom line and red line for our work on cultural relics. In recent years, the NCHA has taken significant steps to ensure the safety of cultural relics by incorporating them into the annual assessment and evaluation system of all 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Using satellite remote sensing, big data, and other technologies, the NCHA has investigated illegal activities and safety incidents related to cultural relics. We have consistently carried out inspections and rectification efforts to address significant risks and hidden dangers. Over the past three years, we have identified and addressed more than 240,000 safety risks and issues concerning various cultural relics. Additionally, 306,000 cultural relics museums nationwide have publicly disclosed the names of those directly responsible for cultural relics safety, and comprehensive coverage has been achieved for all key national-level protected sites in all 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.
To combat and prevent crimes involving cultural relics, the NCHA has fully utilized the national inter-departmental joint meeting mechanism for cultural relics safety. In collaboration with relevant departments, it has issued the Special Work Plan for Combating and Preventing Cultural Relics Crimes (2023-2025) and the Opinions on Several Issues Concerning the Handling of Criminal Cases Obstructing the Management of Cultural Relics. Additionally, the NCHA has released notable cases of public interest litigation aimed at protecting the Great Wall, along with 15 typical cases involving the lawful protection of cultural relics and heritage. We have commenced a new series of special initiatives to combat and prevent crimes involving cultural relics. Since the launch of the new three-year special initiative in September 2022, public security organs nationwide have resolved over 1,200 cases of cultural relics crimes. They have arrested more than 3,500 suspects and recovered over 3,100 valuable cultural relics, along with more than 470,000 general cultural relics.
To strengthen the supervision of cultural relics, we have improved our institutional building and issued measures for overseeing cases involving legal violations related to cultural relics, as well as guidelines for inquiries into cultural relics supervision. We have employed various methods, including on-site supervision, joint inquiries, and special inspections, to effectively oversee and address cases involving legal violations related to cultural relics. As a result, we have conducted thorough investigations and rectifications of several major violations, such as illegal construction, unauthorized repairs and unauthorized relocations. We have maintained law enforcement and monitoring of cultural relics through satellite remote sensing, enhancing our ability to identify illegal activities related to these relics. In 2024, we included all world cultural heritage sites and key historical and cultural sites under national-level protection in the scope of monitoring, and we will monitor them once a quarter in the future.
Cultural relics supervision is an important part of cultural heritage protection oversight. In the next steps, the NCHA will implement the arrangements and requirements set forth by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and make every effort to enhance the supervision of cultural relics protection. At the same time, we'll continue to strengthen our efforts to monitor illegal activities concerning cultural relics, strictly investigating major illegal violations and safety accidents, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring that local authorities fulfill their responsibilities for relic protection. We will strengthen our technological capabilities and comprehensively conduct law enforcement and monitoring of cultural relics through satellite remote sensing. This will help us move the protection and safety supervision of cultural relics forward, allowing us to promptly identify violations of laws and regulations and effectively ensure the safety of cultural relics. Thank you.
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China News Service:
Mr. Guan just introduced the important progress of the "Archaeology China" program. Could you elaborate on China's archaeological work? What specific measures will be taken to deepen institutional reforms in archaeology in the future? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Thank you for your questions. In recent years, the NCHA has made significant efforts to advance the development of archaeology with distinct Chinese features, style and ethos, achieving many important milestones. The project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has proposed a Chinese plan for defining civilization and identifying what constitutes a civilized society, contributing original insights to the study of the origins of world civilization. Eighteen major "Archaeology China" programs have been advanced in a coordinated manner, and over 990 independent archaeological projects have been carried out in an orderly fashion during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Significant archaeological discoveries, such as Yunxian Man, Piluo, Liangzhu, Erlitou, and the Sanxingdui sites, have demonstrated China's million-year history of human activity, 10,000 years of cultural history, and over 5,000 years of recorded civilization. Sites like Yunxian Man, Taosi and Liangzhu have been included in middle school history textbooks. Additionally, joint archaeological efforts with Arab and African nations have been promoted, continuously expanding the influence of Chinese archaeology.
A major breakthrough has been achieved in deep-sea archaeology on the northwest continental slope of the South China Sea, with a special exhibition set to launch in the next two days. More than 180,000 precious cultural relics have been salvaged and preserved from the Nanhai No.1 Shipwreck. The Yangtze River Estuary No. 2 Shipwreck has been entirely salvaged and protected, with the second phase of its protection project also launching in two days. China's underwater archaeology technology and equipment have reached a world-class level. The implementation of a policy requiring archaeological surveys and explorations to be conducted before land transfers in 24 provinces and equivalent administrative units has effectively ensured the protection of major national construction projects. This includes significant initiatives such as the Xiong'an New Area and Beijing's sub-center, advancing protection and development in parallel. There are currently 55 national archaeological parks across the country, and 80 units have registered projects. Several site museums, including those at Sanxingdui, Shimao, Yinxu and Qigexing Buddhist Temples, have been completed and opened to the public, becoming important centers for cultural exchange and the inheritance of civilization.
In the next step, the NCHA will diligently implement the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and further advance institutional reform for archaeology. We will focus on researching major historical issues and launch a research project on the civilization of the Xia and Shang dynasties. We just established the Xia and Shang Civilization Archaeological Research Center, with the foundation stone laid two days ago in Luoyang. We will promote the integration of multidisciplinary and cross-regional expertise and resources, strengthen the application of scientific and technological support, and deepen the study of the history of Chinese civilization.
We will advance the construction of world-class archaeological institutions and implement the national plan to cultivate archaeological talent. We will comprehensively promote academic research, international cooperation, management innovation, and team building, systematically enhancing the professional, scientific, international, and modern development of Chinese archaeology.
Additionally, we will continue to promote the sharing of archaeological achievements with society, advance the protection and utilization of major ruins, and build vibrant archaeological parks and museums. We aim to promote archaeological educational tours and provide the public with more diverse experiences and products, maximizing archaeology's role in educating people about history and culture. We recently issued documents related to archaeological educational tours and hope to draw your attention to them. That's all from me. Thank you!
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CNR News:
Just now, you mentioned several museums. We have noticed that "museum fever" has been heating up over the past two years, leading to difficulties in making reservations and securing tickets at some popular institutions. How is the NCHA responding to this phenomenon? Will the NCHA adopt relevant measures to address these issues? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
We will have Mr. Liu answer this question.
Liu Yang:
Indeed, as you mentioned, museums have been gaining increasing popularity in recent years, and it can be difficult to obtain tickets for popular museums. I would like to share some data with you. As of the end of August this year, 6,833 officially registered museums have received 940 million visitors. The number of visitors during the two summer months reached 299 million. Six provinces — Jiangsu, Shandong, Beijing, Zhejiang, Shaanxi and Guangdong — have each welcomed over 15 million visitors. Popular museums such as the Palace Museum and the National Museum of China have become top tourist destinations. Last month, the 10th Chinese Museums and Relevant Products and Technologies Expo was held in Hohhot, in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, attracting over 350,000 visitors in just four days. Additionally, the exhibition of the Civilization of Ancient Egypt at the Shanghai Museum, as you may have heard, has attracted 580,000 visitors in the past two months since its official launch on July 19, averaging about 10,000 visitors per day.
These findings demonstrate the public's growing demand for high-quality cultural products, which places increasingly higher expectations on our work. As museum professionals, we will continue to strengthen and improve our operations in the following aspects.
First, we must expand our capacity to deliver high-quality cultural experiences. Behind the current "museum fever" lies an imbalance in museum popularity across regions. Addressing this disparity is our primary challenge, and we'll continue coordinating development across various museum categories. In the first half of this year, we released a new batch of key museums jointly built by central and local governments. We'll guide these institutions to play a leading role, encouraging them to cooperate with smaller museums by means of touring exhibitions, collection loans, and collaborative exhibitions, bringing premium cultural resources directly to grassroots communities. At the same time, we'll also implement a promotion plan for small- and medium-sized museums, guiding more than 4,000 such institutions to develop their unique characteristics and distinctive features, thereby offering the public more diverse options.
Second, we'll continue to optimize opening services. On July 1, at the beginning of the summer vacation, we issued guidelines for museum operations that rejected a one-size-fits-all approach, instead directing localities to scientifically implement reservation systems based on their specific circumstances. According to statistics, of China's 6,833 museums, most have eliminated reservation requirements, except for the most popular venues. Where reservations remain necessary due to operational needs or local conditions, museums have improved their systems by maintaining staffed ticket windows and phone booking options. Nearly 1,200 of the nation's 1,662 first-, second- and third-class museums have extended their opening hours. To address the issue of ticket scalping and unofficial guided tours, we've recently conducted special consultations with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Public Security, and Beijing and other places have also launched special campaigns to crack down against scalping operations. Next, we'll strengthen regulations and guidance on reservations and guided tours to protect the public's fundamental right to access cultural resources.
Third, we're expanding service delivery methods to create "museums around people." We'll use new technologies and new means to develop cloud exhibitions, cloud educational programs and livestreaming capabilities to create a new curatorial model that seamlessly integrates digital and physical exhibitions. At the same time, we'll extend museum resources into communities and schools through mobile museum initiatives. Our goal is to build a museum "life circle" that aligns with both socioeconomic development and meets the public's needs for a better life. This approach bridges the "last mile" in cultural access, ensuring everyone enjoys more high-quality and convenient cultural services. Thank you!
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Red Star News:
What is the current status of China's fourth national census on immovable cultural relics that began in November 2023, and what are the next steps in this initiative? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Thank you for your questions. The survey is now progressing smoothly, and it represents an important initiative and concrete action to implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee.
Since the census launched, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and through joint efforts across all localities and departments, we have achieved the "five completions." First, we've completed the establishment of census institutions, with leading groups and offices set up at national, provincial, municipal and county levels, providing strong organizational support for smooth implementation. Second, we've assembled the census team. More than 5,000 census teams comprising over 45,000 members have been established nationwide, double the number from the third national survey. Team members come from the Research Institute of Ancient Architecture, the Institute of Archaeology, the Institute of Cultural Relics Administration and various universities. Third, we've achieved full coverage in training. Census offices at all levels have organized and carried out training to ensure all team members are prepared before beginning their duties. Over 61,000 on-site training sessions were conducted, with some members receiving multiple sessions. This represents the largest industry training in cultural relics since the 18th CPC National Congress, divided into six major areas at the national level. Fourth, we've completed the whole-process pilot program. Pilot censuses were conducted at 95 cultural sites at national and provincial levels, providing valuable experience. Fifth, we've established comprehensive support systems. We've developed unified census standards, created census software and distributed equipment, including data collection tools. The 2024 census funds have been secured nationwide across all levels, ensuring strong support for the progress of the census.
At present, field surveys continue nationwide, with our census teams persevering through intense heat and challenging terrain to conduct their investigations. According to our data as of Sept. 23, since launching the fourth national census on immovable cultural relics, survey teams have reviewed over 253,000 immovable cultural relics – 33% of those documented in the previous census. They've also discovered more than 18,000 new relics, representing a 7.2% increase. These figures reflect our meticulous review of known cultural relics, careful discovery of previously unknown historical sites, and dedicated protection of Chinese civilization. We conduct weekly progress reviews and maintain multilevel supervision over the census at all levels. In particular, the period from September to November marks the prime season for field surveys.
In the next step, the office of the leading group for the fourth national cultural relics census will give priority to work in the following aspects. We will carry out on-site supervision. We will conduct on-site inspections and provide guidance at various locations, strengthen operational support, and provide technical assistance. We will enhance supervision and guidance in areas where progress is slow and new discoveries are insufficient. We will strengthen cooperation among departments, carry out joint research projects with census member units, consolidate the results of jointly issued documents, and deepen the census cooperation mechanism. We have jointly issued a notice with most member units, and specialized censuses in different fields will be expanded. Additionally, we will strengthen quality control, formulate measures for census quality management, and guide all localities in examining census data to ensure quality standards. We will also continue our publicity efforts. Recently, we organized media visits to various places to publicize the census, and we will continue providing timely updates on the latest progress and results to maintain positive public awareness. We encourage all media outlets to continue covering the fourth national census on immovable cultural relics. Thank you.
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China Review News:
We know that to leverage cultural relics as carriers of historical heritage and transmission, we must bring these artifacts "to life." What specific initiatives have the NCHA undertaken to deepen the interpretation and dissemination of cultural relics' value, enrich society's historical and cultural understanding, and strengthen the public's spiritual foundation? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Thank you. How can we better bring cultural relics to life? In recent years, the NCHA has intensified its public awareness campaigns for cultural relics protection, achieving new progress across various sectors. As Mr. Liu mentioned, museums and memorial halls are open to the public, serving community engagement. The NCHA has launched two batches of national demonstration zones for cultural relics protection and utilization, with 21 provinces, cities and counties leading the construction of these zones, stimulating reform and innovation. Additionally, we have established more than 100 cultural relics-themed trails connecting various regions' historical and cultural heritage sites. The revitalization and use of cultural relics, construction of national archaeological site parks, and public archaeology initiatives have enabled people to engage with cultural relics and heritage, enriching cultural life and strengthening the public's spirit. Specifically, in deepening the interpretation and dissemination of cultural relics' value, we have implemented an all-media communication strategy for Chinese cultural relics. We have transformed these cultural resources into media content, educational materials and public programs, advancing the transmission of civilization through cultural relics. We have primarily conducted work in several areas and made contributions in three aspects.
We've expanded public access to cultural artifacts and helped bring these relics to life. We've strengthened information sharing with central, local and industry media outlets and commercial internet platforms. We've established a cultural heritage communications network with more than 200 cultural institutions and museum units nationwide, enhancing coverage of major archaeological discoveries, academic research and important exhibitions while providing diverse content about cultural artifacts. Our colleagues have highlighted innovative practices across various places, such as the Palace Museum's Digital Cultural Relics Library, the Digital Dunhuang · Open Material Library, and the Silk Road Online Museum. These initiatives exemplify high-quality development in cultural preservation, demonstrating how we can revitalize cultural resources and collaborate to share China's cultural heritage stories.
We have increased publicity to make cultural relics popular. We have cooperated with relevant departments to carry out a series of online publicity activities such as "China Before China, China in Great Times" and promotion activities of new media communication fine works of cultural relics, and have organized themed publicity activities such as "being a census taker for a day" and "protecting cultural relics at the grassroots level." A number of press conferences have been held focusing on the progress of the major project "Archaeology of China." More than 7,300 activities have been organized to mark the Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. With all these efforts, we have promoted achievements with cultural relics protection and utilization to be shared by all.
We have created high-quality programs to make cultural relics shine bright. We have cooperated with relevant media units to create large-scale programs such as "National Treasure" and "Chinese Archaeology Assembly" as well as have launched new media products such as "Calendar of Cultural Relics," "Solar Terms from Cultural Relics" and "Lectures on Chinese Archaeology." Last weekend, the large-scale documentaries "China Before China" and "Searching for Ancient China" both won the 28th National TV Literature and Art's Starlight Award and Outstanding TV Documentary Award, with the launching ceremony for the large-scale program "The Legend of Silk Manuscripts" also being held. We hope that more audiences, especially teenagers, through these interpretation and dissemination works on cultural relics will be able to understand the long and continuous history of China, and to love the extensive and profound Chinese civilization. Thank you!
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China Culture Daily:
Ancient buildings and modern representative buildings are important types of cultural relics within China, which are located in towns and villages throughout the country. Can you talk in detail about the protection and management of cultural relic buildings in China? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Questions related to architecture will be answered by Mr. Deng Chao.
Deng Chao:
Thanks to this reporter for their question. Our department has a special section called the section of cultural relic buildings. Ancient buildings and modern representative buildings are collectively called "cultural-relics buildings." Cultural relic buildings account for 62% of key historical and cultural sites under national-level protection and 53% of the 766,722 immovable cultural relics, with the total number having surpassed 400,000 and showing a large quantity and diverse array of types.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have used the special funds arranged by the central government for the restoration of over 1,000 key historical and cultural sites under the national-level protection, continuing to improve the protection of cultural relics. In addition, we have carried out strict controls and regulations as well as have given high-level guidance for activities around cultural relic buildings to sustain cultural roots in urban and rural areas. In other words, we protect not only the cultural relics themselves but also the surrounding environments. During this period, a large number of cultural relic buildings have become the locomotive for urban and rural rejuvenation, and the protection and utilization of cultural relic buildings have become the "touchstone" for the high-quality development of old downtown areas, old streets and old villages and towns. At the same time, in recent years, according to developments on the cause of cultural relics, we have not only focused on the protection and renovation of key historical and cultural sites under the national-level protection but have also extended the cause to the construction of a disaster prevention, mitigation and relief system for cultural relics as well as the exploration of preventive conservation paths, making arrangements for and implementing pilot programs for preventive conservation. In particular, we have paid attention to the protection of lower grade cultural relics, continued carrying out actions to save old houses and have launched a three-year action plan for the protection of covered bridges. Recently, we have supported the use of special lottery funds of the central government and general bonds issued by local governments for the protection and repair of lower grade cultural relic buildings. All these efforts have effectively improved the overall protection of cultural relic buildings.
After the establishment of funds for the protection of cultural relics from the central government, a number of important cultural relic buildings such as Peking Union Medical College and former residence of Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang have been rejuvenated after recent renovations, with obvious progress having been achieved. Great progress has been made in the protection of cultural relic buildings in recent years, but, realistically speaking, there is still much to be achieved in the protection, research and working systems and mechanisms for cultural relic buildings. In the next step, we will advance work in the following two aspects in accordance with the requirements of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
Firstly, we will continue advancing reforms. We will take the revised version of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics as an opportunity to organize a revision of "The Measures on the Administration of Cultural Relics Protection Projects" as well as will put forward reform measures, make overall plans and overcome difficulties related to tendering and bidding as well as building materials for cultural relic buildings, including the issue of craftsmen, which are of great concern to all sectors of society. We will promote the establishment of a technical supervision system for protection projects; strengthen resources of cultural relic buildings in world heritage, key historical and cultural sites under national-level protection and provincial-level institutes for the protection, study and management of ancient buildings; promote the construction of relevant disciplines; and strengthen the training of reserve talents for cultural-relic buildings.
In addition, we will strengthen systematic protection and research protection, compile the special plan for the preservation and research of cultural relic buildings during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and launch the project of China Rebuilding. We will promote high-level protection, research and display based on a number of major cultural relic building renovation projects, such as Shanxi's Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, also known as the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple,. At the same time, in this process, we will not only protect and display the profound value of buildings, statues, murals, inscriptions and color paintings, as well as their research histories and protection histories, but will also protect the surrounding environments, ancient and famous trees and cultural landscapes that coexist with these buildings, including intangible cultural heritage, so as to promote the high-quality development of work related to cultural relic buildings. Thank you!
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Jinan Times APP:
The preservation and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics are of great significance. Can you talk about what specific measures have been taken by the NCHA concerning the preservation and inheritance of revolutionary cultural relics, so as to better pass down revolutionary traditions? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Thank you for your question. The protection of revolutionary cultural relics is very important. Revolutionary cultural relics carry the glorious history of the Party and the people's heroic struggles, record the great course and touching deeds of the Chinese revolution and are a powerful spiritual force to promote high-quality economic and social development. In particular, with regard to the education of young people, it is necessary to strengthen publicity and promotion. In recent years, the NCHA has grounded our efforts in the new stage of development, followed the new development philosophy, fostered a new development paradigm, taken high-quality development as our overarching task and have made remarkable progress in exploration and practice that focus on the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics and the inheritance and promotion of revolutionary culture, producing new strides toward preservation and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics.
We have been increasing our efforts to protect revolutionary cultural relics. We have continued to implement the protection and display of cultural relics over the 100 years of Party history, the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics in contiguous areas and have themed protection and display projects on revolutionary cultural relics. We have strengthened coordination and planning as well as have compiled special plans for 27 areas with the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics, promoting the overall planning, continuous protection, coordinated display as well as leading and exemplary role of revolutionary cultural relics. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the successful detonation of China's first atomic bomb. In order to vigorously carry forward the spirit of "Two Bombs, One Satellite," we continue to strengthen the protection of relevant former sites and have successively completed the protection and display projects of the first and second nuclear weapon research and development bases as well as the former site of the 711 meritorious uranium mine of the nuclear industry.
We have made innovations in the display and dissemination of revolutionary cultural relics. Focusing on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), we have worked with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Water Resources, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the All-China Women's Federation and the China Railway Group to carry out publicity activities with the theme of "The Footprints of the PRC." Using physical objects to testify and narrate history, the publicity activities have vividly demonstrated the historic achievements and historic changes that have taken place in our cause under the leadership of the CPC. Focusing on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, we have actively worked with the National Ethnic Affairs Commission to carry out soliciting and promotional activities for a touring exhibition that is themed "Harmonious China, Building Dreams with One Heart: Exhibition of Revolutionary Cultural Relics." We have found and effectively used the historical facts and physical testimonies of exchange and integration among various ethnic groups to promote revolutionary culture in ethnic regions.
We have given better play to the role of revolutionary cultural relics in education. We have worked closely with the Ministry of Education and have actively promoted the integration of revolutionary cultural relics with the construction and integration of ideological and political education in primary and secondary schools as well as colleges and universities. In 2024, more than 2,260 "greater ideological and political courses" based on revolutionary cultural relics have been launched. One hundred revolutionary memorial halls and museums have been announced as teaching bases dedicated to fine traditional culture, revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture. The "ideological and political courses in memorial halls and museums," "walking ideological and political courses" and "ideological and political courses on the themed tourism trails" have also been very popular among teachers and students.
We have also advanced integration and innovation of revolutionary cultural relics to drive development. We have released the first batch of "Red Grasslands" and have launched tourism trails themed on revolutionary cultural relics such as "Re-taking the Long March," "The CPC Central Committee Moves to Northern Shaanxi," "Red Flags Flying on Taihang Mountain," "New Fourth Army Heads Towards East and North" and "Yimeng: Feeling at Home," continuing to meet personalized, diversified and upgrading demands of people for public cultural services as well as effectively utilizing revolutionary cultural relics to benefit people's lives. Thank you.
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Shou Xiaoli:
There are two reporters with their hands raised. Last two questions, please.
Science and Technology Daily:
We have noticed that science and technology has been playing an increasingly important role in the protection and utilization of cultural relics in recent years. What measures will the NCHA adopt next to advance sci-tech innovation for cultural relics? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
I would like to invite Mr. Luo Jing to answer this question.
Luo Jing:
Thank you for your question. It can be said that significant progress has been made in the scientific and technological work for cultural relics in recent years. The NCHA and 12 other departments jointly issued the Opinions on Strengthening Sci-Tech Innovation for Cultural Relics, making arrangements for comprehensively deepening reform of science and technology for cultural relics. We have arranged and implemented a number of major science and technology programs, such as the project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization, and strengthened the application of science and technology in typical scenarios such as preventing cultural relics from natural and man-made damage, ensuring their integrity and safety, studying their values, managing their preservation and storage, and properly utilizing them. Over the past three years, we have obtained 289 new technologies and methods and 235 patents under the national key research and development programs alone. Compared with other countries, it can be said that China is among the world's leaders in terms of protection technologies such as earthen sites protection, mural protection and textile protection.
This year, we have made a major breakthrough in international standardization. The technical committee on cultural heritage protection of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was established and its secretariat was set up in China. The NCHA has built 40 key scientific research bases, with 125 workstations, and the layout of the industry's system for scientific and technological innovation has been further optimized. Next, we will thoroughly implement the tasks and arrangements made by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and give priority to the following aspects:
First, in terms of optimizing the layout of scientific and technological innovation tasks, we will actively promote the establishment of key special projects in the field of cultural relics in the national key research and development programs. We will focus on the preservation, continuation, interpretation, management and utilization of the value of cultural relics, optimize the layout of sci-tech innovation and conduct key technological research, so as to effectively increase the supply of science and technology for cultural relics.
Second, in terms of strengthening the construction of bases and platforms, we will actively promote the establishment of national innovation platforms, including national key laboratories and national technology innovation centers, and create hubs for technology and talent. At the same time, we will improve the layout of key scientific research bases of the NCHA, serve important areas and key needs, accelerate the construction of cultural relic and archaeological specimen resource libraries and cultural relic protection science and technology data centers, and achieve the joint construction and sharing of sci-tech resources.
Third, in terms of strengthening the building of scientific and technological innovation talent, we will improve the system of academic disciplines in the field of cultural relics, promote the integration of industry and education, and develop the system of reserve talent. At the same time, we will actively promote the implementation of the national plan to cultivate archaeological talent, and strengthen the cultivation of high-caliber talent. Thank you.
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Shou Xiaoli:
One last question, please.
Cover News:
In recent years, a number of cultural relics lost overseas have been returned, which has attracted widespread attention. What has the NCHA done in terms of the retrieval and repatriation of cultural relics? What are the follow-up plans? And what will be done to promote the return of more national treasures? Thank you.
Guan Qiang:
Thank you for your questions. In recent years, the NCHA has taken the retrieval and repatriation of cultural relics as an important task. We have established specific institutions to advance this work. So far, China has established inter-governmental cooperation architecture that prevents the theft, clandestine evacuation, and illicit export of cultural relics with 27 countries, including Peru, Italy, Greece, Turkey, the U.S. and Australia, and has successfully facilitated the return of more than 1,900 pieces or sets of lost cultural relics to China in 43 batches. The governments of China and the U.S. have extended the validity period for the governmental memorandum of understanding aimed at preventing the illegal entry of Chinese cultural relics into the U.S. for another five years, which had been renewed twice before.
This year, we successfully retrieved the stolen Western Zhou bronze vessel known as Feng Xingshu Gui, and received from the U.S. two important Chinese stone carvings and 38 cultural relics and artworks that were illegally exported, and 14 cultural relics and artworks from Argentina. We held the International Conference on the Protection and Return of Cultural Objects, put forward China's proposal to facilitate the return of cultural relics to their countries of origin beyond the scope of existing international conventions, and launched the Qingdao Recommendations, gathering strength for advancing the resolution of important and difficult issues encountered by Chinese cultural relics lost overseas throughout history.
At the same time, in terms of the tax exemption policies for promoting the return of overseas cultural relics, in April this year, the NCHA, along with five other departments, revised and released the Regulations on Tax Exemption for State-owned Public Welfare Collection Units to Import Collections, and optimized and adjusted the tax exemption policies for imported collections. We have added the NCHA to the scope of tax exemption entities, aiming to ensure the convenience for the direct return of cultural relics in the cultural relic retrieval work, and the acceptance of overseas returns and donations. Originally, the tax exemption entity had to be a specific unit. However, the NCHA, as an organ, does this work on behalf of China and the Chinese government, so we have now included the NCHA in the scope of tax exemption entities. At the same time, it has been clarified that imported collections can be allocated to and exchanged between state-owned public welfare museums in accordance with the law, and there is no need to pay additional taxes. This is conducive to the rational allocation of collection resources and giving greater play to the value of duty-free imported collections in terms of scientific research, display and utilization.
Next, the NCHA will continue to work on the retrieval and repatriation of cultural relics lost overseas and strive to bring more cultural relics back to China as soon as possible.
We will continue to strengthen the foundational work and carry out research into the origins of Chinese cultural relics lost overseas. There are many cultural relics lost overseas, and we have conducted research on some basic materials. We will continue to deepen and flexibly carry out different forms of international cooperation, make good use of various platforms and mechanisms, continue to strengthen investigation and research, and make greater efforts to retrieve Chinese cultural relics lost overseas. As retrieval requires evidence, we have to conduct very detailed investigations on many cultural relics. Many units are now also doing research on various situations.
In addition, we will continue to fulfill our international obligations and cooperate on cultural relic repatriation with relevant countries. We will consolidate the outcomes of the Council Meeting of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia, promote China's proposal — the Qingdao Recommendations — to the international community, encourage countries of origin and countries holding cultural relics to strengthen dialogue, and continue to hold the annual "International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property" China Thematic Forum. At the same time, we will also do a good job in the research, protection, publication, publicity and display of returned cultural relics, and enable the retrieval and repatriation of lost cultural relics to play a more important role in safeguarding the country's cultural sovereignty, strengthening national bonds, bolstering confidence in our own culture, and arousing the cultural creativity of the entire nation.
Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, Mr. Guan. Thank you to all the speakers and journalists. That is all for today's briefing. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Xu Kailin, Fan Junmei, Li Xiao, Zhang Junmian, Wang Qian, Ma Yujia, Li Huiru, David Ball, Rochelle Beiersdorfer, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
