No filming will be allowed at Jiuzhaigou, a world natural
heritage site in southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to
the Jiuzhaigou Administration.
File photo: Jiuzhai
Valley
Last year, Chinese film director Chen Kaige was reported for
littering and destroying vegetation while shooting his film The
Promise at a scenic nature reserve in the southwestern province of
Yunnan. Following the media exposure, the Jiuzhaigou Administration
did a strict inspection of all its scenic areas and issued a
regulation to rigidly restrict filming within the scenic
spots.
Last year, 33 world heritage sites in China signed a joint
declaration, saying that environmental protection would be regarded
as their top priority. The utilization and development of these
places would be under the supervision of the public and the media
and all commercial activities, including filming, done on any world
heritage sites must be made public.
"Many local departments and authorities began working out measures
aimed at protecting the natural environment of scenic spots in
China. We are also making appropriate rules and regulations," said
Feng Gang, Deputy Director of Jiuzhaigou Administration.
Real danger to the land or even the irreversible destruction of
the environment are some of the problems the world heritage sites
in China are facing, according to experts with the Ministry of
Construction.
(China.org.cn by Yang Xi, December 24, 2007)