国内英语新闻:State Councilor praises efforts of national cultural relics survey to preserve China's past

BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- As a large number of new sites were discovered during the most recent survey of national cultural relics, Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong called for the careful filing and scientific preservation of all survey results on Tuesday.

Liu made the remarks at a meeting of the third national cultural relics survey, which is expected to pave the way for improved rules on the protection of cultural relics.

During the meeting, Liu hailed the current progress of the survey and extended her greetings to all who are working to preserve the nation's sites of cultural relics.

Liu said the cultural relics survey is the foundation for protecting and putting to use the country's cultural relics in a scientific way, and is also a key part of evaluating the country's soft power.

According to Liu, the on-spot investigation phase has finished, and "a large number of varied, new cultural relics sites" were discovered across the country.

Though without overall figures, Liu revealed that newly discovered sites covered fields such as the history of the Party and the period of the revolution, the industrial heritage and traditional rural architecture, as well as others fields of study.

The survey, which began in April 2007, will continue until December 2011.