1. UNESCO and Heritage Site
Protection in China
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818
Yuen Yuk Ting 07013493

2. Introduction
• UNESCO =
• since 1945
• aim of establishment: peace
• initiated by European power
• objective:
« to create the conditions for dialogue
among civilizations, cultures and
peoples, based upon respect for
commonly shared values”
Yuen Yuk Ting 07013493

3. UNESCO's World Heritage List
• sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common
heritage of humanity
• Today: 911 sites (704 cultural, 104 natural, 27 mixed) in 151 state parties
Yuen Yuk Ting 07013493
What does it mean being in the list?

4. Heritage protection – a new, but fast-growing
field for China
• joined UNESCO in 1946
• 1982: 1st law of heritage protection
« the Law of the PRC on the Protection of Cultural Relics »
• increasing legal protection
• more special funds:
129 million rmb in 1994  534 million rmb in 2005
Yuen Yuk Ting 07013493

5. China & UNESCO
• 1985: ratified the International Convention Concerning the Protection of World
Cultural and Natural Heritage of UNESCO
• Today: 40 sites subscribed in UNESCO's World Heritages List
• Rank 3rd
after Italy & Spain
• 53 sites on the tentative list
The Great Wall, Beijing (1987)
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6. The Potala Palace, Tibet (1994)
Fujian Tulou, Fujian (2008)
The Forbidden City, Beijing (1987)
The Temple of Heaven,
Beijing (1998)
Yuen Yuk Ting 07013493

7. The influence of UNESCO-China interaction on
heritage site protection
Positive
 Greater effort of Chinese government in protecting heritage
sites
• e.g. The 3rd
Country-wide Survey of Heritage Sites
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818

8.  World attention to Chinese heritage sites
• World Heritage being world-famous tourist spots
• e.g. Imperial Tombs
of the Ming and
Qing Dynasties
The influence of UNESCO-China interaction on
heritage site protection
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818

9. Negative
 Large expenditure for nomination
• China Danxia
The influence of UNESCO-China interaction on
heritage site protection
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818
More than
one billion

10.  Commercialization of the heritage sites
• Summer Palace
The influence of UNESCO-China interaction on
heritage site protection
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818
UNESCO
Yellow
Card

11. • Old Town of Lijiang
The influence of UNESCO-China interaction on
heritage site protection
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818
UNESCO
Yellow
Card

12. Conclusion
Lam Hoi Yan 08034818
China UNESCO
Enhancing heritage site protection
Important partner to cooperate with
How to reduce negative impacts to heritage
sites?
Principle of sustainable development

13. Reference
• Su, Xiao and Peggy teo. 2009. The Politics of Heritage Tourism
in China. New York: Routledge.
• Lee, Yok-shiu F. and Hilary du Cros. 2007. Cultural Heritage
Management in China. New York: Routledge.
• Official website of UNESCO
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/
• Official site of UNESCO World Heritage Center
http://whc.unesco.org/
• Official website of State Administration of Cultural Heritage of
China
http://www.sach.gov.cn/
• China Review News
http://www. chinareviewnews.com

14. Reference
• Law of People's Republic of China on the Protection of
Cultural Relics
http://www.chinatoday.com/law/china-laws/cultural-relics-
protection.htm
• Official site of Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center
http://en.bjchp.org/?p=1924
• Protection of Cultural Heritage in China, Ministry of Culture,
May 25 2006, from
http://chinagate.cn/english/reports/48279.htm
• Future heritage protection strategies needed, Global Times,
June 12 2010, from
http://news.cultural-china.com/20100612115832.html

15. Thank you!