China is expected to double spending on the protection of cultural heritages, particularly large ancient tomb groups and ancient towns, this year, Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritagesaid Thursday.

Shan, also a member of the National Committee of China's top advisory body, did not give the specific figure of the total spending, but disclosed that the state would allocate 250 million yuan (about US$30 million) in special funds for drawing a plan in protection of more than 30 major ruins along the Xinjiang section of the world-renowned ancient Silk Road.

According to him, workers of cultural heritage administrations at various levels are exerting their utmost to rescue cultural relics along the route of China's mammoth south-north water diversion project.

"If major cultural relics are involved, the route has to be revised and its course to be altered so as to circumvent them," he said.