Globalization may not be a negative concept, but modern developers should be cautious against replacing their cultural heritage with new architecture, scholars said at a forum in Hangzhou yesterday.

"I believe new architecture should be limited in historical cities such as Hangzhou," China Academy of Art's former director Shui Tianzhong said at the International Forum on Quality: Cities and Tourism. "Very often in China, when a new city government head assumes office, he makes a plan to build new structures in the city."

The result, he said, is that new architectures overshadow the culture heritage, he said. But of course that doesn't mean cities should remain totally unchanged.

People best reflect a city's spirit and character through their communication with foreign culture, he said.

Wong Kong-Yew, of the Taylor's University of Malaysia, reminded urban planners to avoid "pride and prejudice", that is, the inability to acquire the good things from Western culture because of obsession with their own. "We need to give life to culture, and don't stop its development."

But that is not to say "the moon is rounder in the West", Wong said, quoting a famous Chinese saying. "We need to make sure culture is not driven away by economic and political pursuits."

"You'd think people are the most easily influenced, but culture is like the DNA that stays deep within," Shui said. "You want to see the Hangzhou spirit not just among its tourist guides or performers, but in the ordinary people of the city. You find grace, smartness and aggressiveness on local faces. That gives a lively impression to tourists."

Hangzhou Vice-Mayor Zhang Jianting said the city has carried out a comprehensive project to protect the West Lake and restore the renowned scenic spots in and around it

The protection plan for the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal started in 2002, helping its cause to get a cultural heritage recognition from the UNESCO. Hangzhou has an 8,000-year-old civilization and 2,227-year-old written history, Zhang said. Culture stands firmly behind its tourism industry as an important support.