Wuyishan City in east China's Fujian Province is planning to invest 215 million yuan (US$26 million) in building a research and exhibition center to help protect and showcase the world heritage Wuyi Mountains.

Wuyi Moutains, listed as the World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, attracts millions of tourists every year with its beautiful scenery and cultural relics.

Local officials said the further potential of Wuyi Moutains, which was listed as one of China's top 10 most popular mountains early this year, needed to be cultivated.

"We need to better play the cultural cards to promote protection and tourism in the area," said Zhang Chuanxin, director of Wuyishan City bureau of culture and sports.

"The proposed world heritage protection and exhibition center will provide a stage for China's advanced cultures and other splendid cultures around the world," he added.

The center will be divided into six parts, including a Wuyishan World Cultural Heritage protection and exhibition park, an exhibition park of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites around the globe, a Great Wuyi cultural classics exhibition park, a park focusing on Fujian's cultural classics, a cultural tourism service center, and the monitoring and exchange center for the World Heritage protection.

Officials said the center would bring about 5,000 new jobs and enhance the healthy development of relevant industries like tourism and hotels.

The local government has had 1.2 million yuan (145,000 US dollars) in place for the project and it expects both domestic and overseas investors to join in the development program. The city is also applying to issue 20 million yuan of state bonds to build the center.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2003)