Southwest China's Yunnan Province is expected to invest 200 million yuan (about US$25 million) to protect the ancient city of Lijiang, a world renowned cultural heritage site.

The money will be used mainly to repair and upgrade the sewage and drainage networks, to renovate the ancient building complex of imperial Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368-1911) and to tear down two markets and a building, covering an area of some 30,000 square meters that is not in harmony with the original structure style in the city, according to local government.

The ancient city of Lijiang, situated on a magnificent plateau 2,600 meters above sea level, is noted for its unique landscape, minority ethnic groups, earth-wooden residential constructions, and the rich culture of the ethnic Naxi people, which have made Lijiang a hot Chinese tourist destination.

In 1997, Lijiang was listed as one of the World Cultural Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

According to local tourism authorities, Lijiang hosted 1.57 million visitors in 1998, and the figure has remained approximately 4 million since 2002.

To retain the original look of Lijiang, the local government spent 6 billion yuan (some US$740 million) to begin rebuilding a new city covering more than 330 hectares to accommodate residents and enterprises that were relocated from the ancient city in 2002

In addition, the local city government has invested more than 93 million yuan (US$11.5 million) to repair the electric power grid, telecommunications lines and road networks both in and around the ancient city.

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)