More new technologies should be engaged in cultural heritage restoration and conservation, archaeologists and relics protection experts said Monday in Beijing.

Science and technology play an increasing role in relic protection as more and more heritage sites suffer from pollution and climate change, Xu Yuming, a professor with the China National Institute of Cultural Property, said Monday.

"Thanks to modern restoration technologies, we can hear the sweet sound of chime bells from more than 2,000 years ago, unearthed from the Zenghouyi Tomb in Hubei Province," Xu said.

"Heritage conservation is relying more on science and technologies ranging from chemistry, biology and geology to computer science, material science and radio electronics," Xu said.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of a Sino-Italian training project on relics conservation in Beijing.

The seven-month project aims to provide state-of-the-art technologies in relics protection to nearly 70 Chinese specialists across the country.

The Italian Foreign Affairs Office has contributed 1.44 million euro (US$1.8 million) to the project and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage has provided nine million yuan (US$1.1 million) and a training venue.

The training project aims to create "highly qualified technicians" in the fields of conservation and restoration of cultural property and to develop more modern and efficient strategies to manage sites and relics, said Mario Micheli, manager of the project.

A Sino-Italian training center and new conservation laboratories will also be launched, Micheli said.

"Cooperation between Italy and China in heritage protection date back a decade and 53 Italian heritage protection experts have worked in China in past years," Micheli said.

The importance of international cooperation in heritage protection is being recognized by governments and organizations across the world, said Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

The need to raise awareness of intangible heritage, improve management expertise and prevent relics smuggling has also been highlighted.

(China Daily February 10, 2004)