Initiative to better protect industrial heritage launched in Shanghai

Cultural heritage bureaus from 11 provinces and municipalities on Wednesday launched an initiative in Shanghai to improve efforts regarding the preservation and inheritance of industrial legacy.

Launched at the Yangpu National Cultural Heritage Utilization Demonstration Zone Conference, the initiative will leverage digital platforms, cultural tourism and education to achieve these goals.

Officials from the first batch of cultural heritage utilization demonstration zones in the country, including Yangpu District in Shanghai, Yan'an in Shaanxi, Hangzhou in Zhejiang, and Chaozhou in Guangdong, shared about their work during the event, while representatives from the second batch of zones presented their implementation plans.

At the conference, Li Qun, the director of the National Cultural Heritage Bureau, delivered remarks underscoring the importance of creating demonstration zones as part of efforts to modernize China's cultural heritage sector.

"Over the past three years, the first batch of zones has explored innovative approaches and established models for high-quality protection and integrated social and economic development," Li said.

Liu Duo, vice mayor of Shanghai, then reviewed the municipality's track record of leveraging cultural heritages to drive innovations. She singled out the conversion of Yangpu's shoreline into a picturesque "Life Show Belt" as an example and said that the city will look to raise its standards in this area by learning from its peers and global best practices.