Heritage
Slow down the rush of UNESCO World Heritage applications
(CNTV)
Updated: 2011-01-20 16:49
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There has been a recent surge in the number of applications for various attractions seeking recognition as a world heritage site. So many, in fact, that China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development has begun stressing an orderly application process, and is discouraging local governments from taking credit for the application.
A site has to be listed on a backup for one year before its official application. Now over 80 sites have been listed on the China's inventory of the world heritage application, and there are many more sites that want to join the long queue.
But according to the World Heritage Organization, each country can at most submit two sites per year to apply for world heritage status.
China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development asked local governments to fully consider a site's natural or cultural advantage before they send in an application. For those sites that have already won the prestigious status, they should strengthen protection of the site according to the country or region's rules.
