China's upcoming national cultural parks: The Great Wall
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A view of the Simatai section of the Great Wall in Beijing. (Photos: CFP)

Built by human hands over the course of more than 2,000 years, the Great Wall stretches for over 20,000 kilometers across the vast lands of northern China, not only standing as an enduring monument to the power of ancient Chinese civilization and an iconic symbol of the nation, but also ranking as one of the top wonders of the world as a universally-acclaimed feat of human engineering. This complex series of structures was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

A view of the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing.

Over the last few decades, continued efforts have been made regarding the conservation of this winding manmade barrier, including a series of national-level renovation, upgrading and restoration projects, and related cultural activities, in a bid to rejuvenate this precious cultural jewel of China.

A view of the Simatai section of the Great Wall in Beijing.

In 2019, China issued a plan outlining the construction of national cultural parks, with the aim of better preserving the much-cherished Great Wall, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the sites related to the Long March, in an integrated manner through its national park system.

In 2021, a dedicated plan outlining the creation of the Great Wall National Cultural Park was announced, with the construction of the relevant parks and infrastructure to be completed by 2035 alongside a comprehensive system for their preservation and use.

A view of the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall in north China's Hebei Province.

In 2021, The UNESCO's World Heritage Committee praised the measures adopted by China to mitigate the threats to the Great Wall at its 44th session, making the Great Wall one of the only three World Heritage sites to be given such an honor.