Beijing, August 06, 2024, The Europe Today: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for intensified efforts to preserve and rejuvenate the country’s cultural and natural treasures in the new era. Xi, who is also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized the importance of these efforts in an instruction on safeguarding cultural and natural heritage.
This directive follows the recent inscription of one cultural heritage site and two natural heritage sites in China on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2024. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced the addition of the Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital, the Badain Jaran Desert — Towers of Sand and Lakes, and the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II) at its 46th session held in New Delhi, India.
President Xi highlighted that the inclusion of these sites is significant for advancing Chinese modernization, which aims to achieve material and cultural-ethical progress and harmony between humanity and nature. He remarked that these recognitions also contribute to the enrichment of global civilizations.
Xi urged that the UNESCO inscriptions should serve as an impetus to bolster the comprehensive and systematic protection of China’s cultural and natural heritage. He stressed the importance of utilizing these heritage sites effectively to better fulfill the needs of the people.
Furthermore, Xi called for enhanced international exchange and cooperation in the field of heritage protection. He advocated for China’s greater contribution to the Global Civilization Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Currently, China is home to a total of 59 World Heritage Sites, reflecting its rich cultural and natural legacy.
