The Great Wall is expected to be protected by a specific law, says Dong Yaohui, secretary-general of the China Great Wall Society.

The Beijing Bureau of Cultural Relics is soliciting expert advice over the drafting of a law to protect the Great Wall, a famous landmark of China, Dong says.

The law will focus on protecting the Great Wall, its attached buildings and surrounding environment in the Beijing sections, according to Dong.

The Great Wall, about 6,700 km long, was listed as a world cultural heritage site in 1987 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

With booming tourism, the Great Wall has offered popular scenicspots and brought about huge profits. It receives about 10 millionvisitors every year all over the country, with 5 to 6 million in Beijing. Annual ticket income at the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing is about 100 million yuan (12.5 million US dollars).

However, damage to the wall is becoming serious. Dong Yaohui says. Only one third of the original structure still stands, one third is partially intact and the rest has disappeared.

About 600 km of the wall's total 629 km in the Beijing region remains natural. A desire for a taste of original Great Wall drives more tourists there, causing damage to the already loose structure.

The Great Wall is being nibbled away and disappearing brick by brick, Dong says.

The lack of awareness of conservation is a serious reason for the damage, Dong says. The dismantling of 60 meters of the Great Wall in Shanxi Province prompted a fine of only 200 yuan (25 US dollars).

Intellectual property rights will also be an important part of the upcoming law. Restrictions on the use of brand names containing the words "Great Wall" will be included, says Dong.

As part of conservation activities, the first large-scale fieldresearch on the Great Wall was started Thursday in Beijing. About 20 specialists will begin on August 3 their Great Wall journey which will last about 50 days.

( Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2002)