North China province steps up Great Wall protection

SHIJIAZHUANG - The government of North China's Hebei province has approved a set of measures aimed at tightening protection of Great Wall sections lying within the province.

The regulation stipulates the responsibilities of local governments in protecting the Great Wall sections within their jurisdiction, employment and management of protection workers, and social participation in protection, according to the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics.

It prohibits adding new stretches to the wall in the name of protection. It also elaborates acts considered harmful to historical sites and their surrounding landscapes and lists punitive measures.

The Great Wall was built between the third century BC and the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The existing sections mostly date from the Ming era, with the Ming wall measuring over 8,800 kilometers. The structure was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Hebei is home to a combined stretch of over 1,300 kilometers of the Ming-era wall, reaching eight cities and 40 counties.

However, protection of the Great Wall stretch in Hebei is still less than satisfactory as it faces severe natural damage and vandalism in the wake of underfunding and poor management.

An official from the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics said that the newly approved measures are a step forward to carry out a 2006 Great Wall protection regulation, important for strengthening the protection of the Hebei stretch.