The city plans to set up 25 such zones, totaling 957 ha., as part of an effort to protect traditional style and features of the old urban areas.

In 1990, the municipal government published the 25 protection zones and last year, it began to work out concrete plans for the protection.

A number of top universities and architectural institutions have joined the planning under the principles of "protecting the overall style of the city, maintaining its historical features, focusing on the improvement of infrastructure and people's living standards, and participation by the public", according to a local official.

(People’s Daily 01/08/2001)