Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao are jointly trying to get UN recognition of Guangdong opera as intangible World Heritage. An official application has been handed in.  
 
An official application made by the three regions has been handed to the Ministry of Culture.

The three regions have set aside several hundred million yuan for the project.

The petition material has been presented in both Chinese and English.

Guangdong opera is unique to Cantonese-speaking regions, which includes the three regions and some of its neighboring areas.

The project is expected to promote this sort of culture and help Guangdong Province to establish a "culture province," a promotional stance used to boost business.
 
(Chinabroadcast.cn June 24, 2004)