China issues first five-year plan for cultural heritage protection, to draft heritage law
In short
The General Offices of the Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council have recently issued the Cultural Heritage Protection and Transmission 15th Five-Year Plan, Hu Kaihong (胡凯红) said on 20 October. Hu called it the country's first five-year plan in the field. The plan proposes drafting a cultural heritage protection law and setting up an inspection system.
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Hu Kaihong (胡凯红), full-time deputy director of the Office of the Central Commission for Spiritual Civilization Development and director of the Office of the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission, announced on 20 October that the General Offices of the Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council had recently issued the Cultural Heritage Protection and Transmission 15th Five-Year Plan. Hu spoke at a State Council Information Office press conference in the series "Starting the 15th Five-Year Plan period". Hu said it is the first time China has drawn up a five-year plan in the field of cultural heritage protection. [ 1 , 3 , 8 ]
Hu said the plan is built around systematic protection of cultural heritage. It will create a broad protection pattern, raise the capacity and level of heritage governance, and strengthen support and safeguards. The pattern is to rest on surveys of heritage resources, draw on projects such as the one for passing on and developing excellent traditional Chinese culture, and be backed by laws and regulations. [ 1 , 8 ]
In a second report from the same press conference, Hu said the plan is problem-oriented and builds a connected chain of work covering resource surveys, legal safeguards, spatial control, safety monitoring and supervision with accountability. The plan proposes improving the legal system and pushing for the drafting of a cultural heritage protection law, and it would strengthen legal safeguards for types of heritage such as historic and cultural districts. [ 4 , 6 ]
The plan also proposes an inspection system for heritage protection. It would use education and training, audit supervision and public interest litigation, and hold those who damage heritage strictly to account, so that heritage protection becomes what the reports call an unchallengeable national will. [ 4 , 6 ]
The announcement was carried by China News Service, Xinhua, Yicai, Jiemian and 36Kr. The documents give no date for the plan's issue beyond "recently" and no timetable for the proposed law. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 8 ]
Why it matters
According to the official quoted, the plan sets a framework for heritage protection through the 15th Five-Year Plan period, including a push for a dedicated law. The documents give no detail on timing or funding.
Key facts
- Hu Kaihong (胡凯红), full-time deputy director of the Office of the Central Commission for Spiritual Civilization Development and director of the Office of the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission, spoke at a State Council Information Office press conference on 20 October. [ 1 , 8 ]
- The press conference belonged to a series titled "Starting the 15th Five-Year Plan period". [ 1 , 8 ]
- The General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council recently issued the Cultural Heritage Protection and Transmission 15th Five-Year Plan. [ 1 , 3 , 8 ]
- Hu said it is the first time China has drawn up a five-year plan in the field of cultural heritage protection. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 ]
- The plan's main thread is systematic protection of cultural heritage, with a broad protection pattern, better governance and stronger support and safeguards. [ 1 , 8 ]
- The plan proposes pushing for the drafting of a cultural heritage protection law, with stronger legal safeguards for types of heritage such as historic and cultural districts. [ 4 , 6 ]
- The plan proposes an inspection system for heritage protection, with accountability for damage. [ 4 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Cultural Heritage Protection and Transmission 15th Five-Year Plan was recently issued by the General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and Hu Kaihong called it China's first five-year plan in this field. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 ]
- The plan proposes pushing for the drafting of a cultural heritage protection law. [ 4 , 6 , 9 ]
- The plan proposes a cultural heritage protection inspection system that uses education and training, audit supervision and public interest litigation, and holds those who damage heritage to account. [ 4 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- When the plan was issued and when it takes effect The documents say only that it was issued "recently" and give no date or implementation schedule.
- Timetable for the cultural heritage protection law The documents say the plan proposes pushing for its drafting but give no date or details of its content.