China strengthens cultural heritage protection through legislative and academic initiatives

Visitors take a boat ride to enjoy the view of Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan province. Endorsed by the department of building energy efficiency, science & technology at the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and spearheaded by the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design — the key policy and academic entities overseeing China's historical and cultural urban landscapes — the symposium zeroed in on the systematic conservation of urban and rural historical and cultural values. Deliberations at the symposium delved into innovative utilization models, advocating for comprehensive protection strategies to fortify institutional frameworks, implementation pathways, and methodologies for historical and cultural preservation efforts in urban and rural settings. Meanwhile, Wang Kai, president of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, pledged to generate pioneering academic outputs tailored to Chinese contexts, fostering research dissemination and practical applications. Distinguished experts from leading institutions such as the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, Tongji University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Renmin University of China, Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning & Design, Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute, and Tsinghua Heritage Institute for Digitization shared valuable insights on holistic protection strategies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and organizational frameworks for effective governance.