Beijing to preserve landscape along waterway

As the northern starting point of the Grand Canal, Beijing is to put forward multiple policies to better preserve this flowing history, which was listed on Sunday as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Yu Ping, deputy director of the Beijing Administration of Cultural Heritage, said keeping the original landscape along the canal will be important.

Special: World Heritage 2014

"We've cooperated with other departments, including Water Affairs and City Planning, to enhance the protection," she said. "This is the city with the most World Heritages sites in China. The listing of the Grand Canal has largely enriched the variety of heritage in Beijing."

Two sections of canal plus two heritage spots (two ancient bridges) are included, altogether composing the seventh World Heritage sites in Beijing. One section is Shichahai, a popular tourist attraction in the capital.

"We thus need to gradually complete our supervision system to keep a close eye on the water quality, which has been greatly improved," Yu said.

Yu said the government annually allocates more than 100 million yuan ($16 million) for preserving World Heritages sites in the capital.

Archaeological work in listed sections will also be launched to help people better appreciate the old-time facade of the canal.

In addition to the heritage zone, ancient construction along the canal in the Tongzhou district in eastern Beijing will be restored, Yu revealed.