The campaign to protect the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has
entered a new phase, following the passing of a declaration to
mobilize the whole of society to help in the protection
efforts.
The Hangzhou Declaration, passed during a national symposium on
Wednesday, called on the central government to establish an overall
co-ordination mechanism for the protection and development of the
Canal.
Constructed in AD 610, the 1,794-kilometer-long waterway served
for more than 1300 years as an important transport route. However,
in recent years rapid economic development has endangered the
canal.
Although various sections of the canal have applied for
State-level protection on account of particular cultural relics,
experts said during the meeting that there has never been a unified
system to oversee the canal as a whole.
More than 200 members of the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference, experts and officials
from about 20 cities along the Canal attended the three-day
symposium.
The declaration also said that proper protection of cultural
relics and original appearance, rational utilization of resources
and the application of world cultural heritage status could
together contribute to the revival of the waterway.
"Along with proper protection, we should officially start the
application process for listing the Grand Canal as a world heritage
site soon," said Shan Jixiang, director of the State Bureau of
Cultural Relics, at the meeting.
The declaration also calls for laws and regulations to be
drafted to further protect the Canal.
Experts regard the Grand Canal as one of the best witnesses of
China's long history and civilization.
So far, 31 sites in China have been awarded World Cultural
Heritage status, and another 30 or so are applying.
(China Daily May 26, 2006)
