Inner Mongolia takes measures to protect Great Wall

HOHHOT - North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region will take measures to preserve its stretch of the Great Wall, the regional culture department said Wednesday.

Protective nets and fences will be set up along sections of the Great Wall near villages and damaged parts will be restored in the next three years, the department said.

A report released in late 2016 showed that some sections of the Great Wall in the region had not been well preserved and illegal activities such as mining, construction, and farming were discovered in protection areas around the Great Wall.

To strengthen protection, the regional government has approved the establishment of a Great Wall protection center, which is affiliated with the regional culture department.

Protection stations are scheduled to be built in some cities and training will be organized as well. The region will also cooperate with neighboring provinces to protect and launch joint patrols along the Great Wall.

The Great Wall was built between the third century BC and the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The existing sections mostly date from the Ming era, with the Ming wall measuring over 8,800 kilometers. The structure was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Inner Mongolia boasts a 7,570-km stretch, or 35 percent, of the Great Wall.