Vice Premier Li Lanqing said that the protection of cultural relics constitutes a historical mission entrusted to the Chinese people in the present period.
Speaking at the national cultural relics work meeting, Li pointed out that a great number of historical and revolutionary relics preserved throughout history have displayed China's rich culture and long history.
The strengthening of preservation efforts with regard to historical and cultural relics will help to disseminate the rich culture of the Chinese nation and reinforce national unity, he added.
He stressed that the cultural relics protection law which was amended and adopted by China's top legislature last October represents a new milestone in the history of China's cultural relics preservation.
He also said that, in order to better preserve historical and cultural relics in the new era, governments at all levels should protect both the relics and their existing surroundings, work hardto fulfill the permanent protection and use of cultural relics and make every effort to resolve the contradiction between cultural relics protection and infrastructure construction.
(Xinhua News Agency December 21, 2002)
