The campaign to protect the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has entered a new phase, following the passing of a declaration to mobilize the whole of society to help in the protection efforts.

The Hangzhou Declaration, passed during a national symposium on Wednesday, called on the central government to establish an overall co-ordination mechanism for the protection and development of the Canal.

Constructed in AD610, the 1,794-kilometre-long waterway served for more than 1300 years as an important transport route. However, in recent years rapid economic development has endangered the canal.

Although various sections of the canal have applied for State-level protection on account of particular cultural relics, experts said during the meeting that there has never been a unified system to oversee the canal as a whole.

More than 200 members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, experts and officials from about 20 cities along the Canal attended the three-day symposium.

The declaration also said that proper protection of cultural relics and original appearance, rational utilization of resources and the application of world cultural heritage status could together contribute to the revival of the waterway.

"Along with proper protection, we should officially start the application process for listing the Grand Canal as a world heritage site soon," said Shan Jixiang, director of the State Bureau of Cultural Relics, at the meeting.

The declaration also calls for laws and regulations to be drafted to further protect the Canal.

Experts regard the Grand Canal as one of the best witnesses of China's long history and civilization.

So far, 31 sites in China have been awarded World Cultural Heritage status, and another 30 or so are applying.

(China Daily May 26, 2006)