China moves to protect underwater relics

BEIJING - Two Chinese government agencies have signed an agreement to protect the country’s underwater cultural heritage, a media report said Tuesday.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) and the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) will work closely in the fields such as underwater archaeology and management of underwater relics, China Daily reported.

The agencies will strengthen cooperation in surveys of underwater relics and in preventing damage to the relics.

SACH director Shan Jixiang said at the signing ceremony Monday that the agreement is to ensure safety of China’s underwater cultural heritage amid a worldwide boom in ocean development in recent years.

Sun Zhihui, director of the SOA, said the SOA will actively provide support and assistance in the protection of underwater relics by enhancing cooperation with the SACH in fields such as enforcement of maritime laws and marine disaster forecasting.

The agencies will also seek to establish a long-term cooperation mechanism by conducting pilot cooperation programmes.