China’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day falls on June 13 this year.
Since ratifying the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1985, China now has 55 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, among which 37 are cultural, 14 are natural and four are natural and cultural.
China now ranks first worldwide in terms of the number of owned world’s heritage sites as well as cultural and natural sites. Meanwhile, China’s increase of world heritage sites is the fastest in the world.
With its vast territory, rich natural resources and diverse culture, China is a veritable country with the most world heritage sites. Since 2017, the Chinese government has approved to designate the second Saturday of every June as China’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.
Over the past 35 years, China has established a scientific management system with Chinese characteristics for natural heritage protection, and also perfected the relevant laws and regulations to maintain the integrity and naturality of the world heritage sites.
World Heritage refers to the natural areas and cultural relics with outstanding universal value inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. As of now, there are a total of 1,121 world sites on the list, including 869 cultural, 213 natural and 39 natural and cultural.
Potala Palace in Lhasa, southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.Photo:Xinhua
