China to step up protection of the Great Wall
PTI
Thursday, September 21, 2006 12:41 IST
dnaindia.com
BEIJING: The Chinese cabinet has ratified a new regulation for better protection of the Great Wall, one of the seven wonders of the world, which is facing a threat due to damages caused by nature and human activities.
The meeting of the State Council, chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao proclaimed that the Great Wall is a world cultural heritage site and the symbol of Chinese nation. Better protection of the monument will help promote patriotism and play an important role in developing spiritual values.
The draft regulation, which conforms to the law on the protection of cultural relics, aims at protection and refurbishment of the Great Wall and adheres to the principle of "preserving the original appearance".
A general guideline for protecting the Great Wall will be framed in the near future, the cabinet said.
The regulation has also defined the duties of relevant local governments and urged people to devote themselves to the task of protecting the historical monument.
Commercial exploitation of the Great Wall will be strictly regulated, the draft regulation maintains.
The 6,700 kilometers long Great Wall travers Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hebei and Liaoning.
According to media reports, nearly two-thirds of the Great Wall has been decaying by being used for commercial purposes. |
