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SCIO press conference on strengthening heritage conservation to carry forward Chinese civilization

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China News Service:

As you mentioned earlier, the General Assembly of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia was held this year. Could you please brief us on the conference and detail its accomplishments? In addition, can you outline the further measures that the NCHA intends to implement in terms of international cultural heritage exchanges and cooperation? Thank you.

Li Qun:

Please allow Mr. Wen to answer these questions.

Wen Dayan:

Thank you for your questions. A total of 150 representatives from 21 Asian countries and three international cultural heritage organizations, including UNESCO, attended the General Assembly of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia. This attendance included 16 ministerial-level officials and ambassadors, and heads of three international organizations. The Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia was officially established, and the total number of member and observer countries grew from 10 at its inception to 18, with China elected as the first chair of the alliance. The conference released the Xi'an Declaration on Cultural Heritage Protection in Asia, launched the Asian Fund for Cultural Heritage Conservation, and established the Collaborative Research Center for Archaeology of the Silk Roads. The Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia is the first international organization in the field of cultural heritage to be established under China's leadership. It is the only specialized international organization in the cultural heritage field in the Asian region. From its initial design to implementation, the alliance embodies the core essence of the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping and the vital concept of cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and other civilizations.

Shortly after the general assembly, President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of a government-to-government agreement between China and Kyrgyzstan. This agreement aims to prevent theft, looting, and the illegal import and export of cultural property, marking an important achievement in the cultural heritage field during the China-Central Asia Summit. Since the 20th CPC National Congress, particularly this year, we have actively implemented the Global Civilization Initiative. We've maintained deep cooperation with countries rich in cultural heritage and ancient civilizations, such as France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Tunisia, Cyprus, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and South Africa. Our collaboration includes signing agreements, joint archaeology, world heritage, underwater archaeology, museum exchanges, personnel training, and prevention of illegal import and export of cultural relics, becoming a vivid facet of our major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. We have fostered friendships through international platforms like UNESCO, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and ASEAN, participated in the international governance of cultural heritage, and voiced China's perspectives. This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative. We have vigorously promoted people-to-people connectivity along the Belt and Road by protecting and restoring historical sites in countries such as Cambodia, Nepal, Myanmar and Uzbekistan. In the second half of this year, we will also hold an exhibition on cultural relics and archaeological cooperation along the Belt and Road.

Moving forward, the NCHA will continue to implement the guiding principles of President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the General Assembly of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia and his significant speech delivered at the symposium on cultural inheritance and development. We will act on the Global Civilization Initiative, continue to add more substance to the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia, enhance and improve the secretariat, and coordinate internal and external affairs. We will make good use of international platforms, fully harness the unique role of cultural heritage in bridging differences and uniting people, and adopt multiple measures to achieve the high-quality development of cultural heritage diplomacy. This approach will effectively extend the reach and appeal of Chinese civilization. We invite our media friends to continue to pay attention to and support our work. Thank you.