China gains 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 46th meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged further efforts to preserve the country's cultural and natural treasures

Having gained UNESCO’s recognition for three more locations as World Heritage Sites, China now has 59 such sites, trailing only Italy which, with 60 sites, tops the global list.

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At the 46th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of the recent meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), that was held in New Delhi recently, China gained recognition for three more sites as World Heritage Sites, taking its total tally to 59.

At the UNESCO meeting, one cultural heritage and two natural heritages of China were added to the World Heritage List. These include 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 Migratory Bird Sanctuaries’ as well as the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II).

Now, with 59 sites, China trails only Italy in the list of countries with highest number of World Heritage Sites. While Italy has 60, Germany comes in the third spot with 54 sites.

After the new additions, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged further efforts to preserve the country’s cultural and natural treasures and renew their glamour in the new era.

Xi Jinping

According to a press statement by the Chinese government, Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction on strengthening the protection, preservation and utilisation of cultural and natural heritage.

The statement adds that Xi said that the inclusion of these heritage items has positive significance for the building of Chinese modernisation that features material and cultural-ethical advancement and harmony between humanity and nature. Xi added that it also adds new lustre to world civilisations.

According to the statement, Xi called for efforts to take this UNESCO inclusion as an opportunity to further strengthen the comprehensive and systematic protection of cultural and natural heritage and make good use of them to better meet the people’s needs.

He also urged enhanced international exchange and cooperation in this field, and efforts to make greater contribution to the practice of the Global Civilisation Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.