BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China will improve standards and specifications for the protection and utilization of traditional villages and buildings, a housing official said on Sunday.
Qin Haixiang, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development, said more detailed technical standards should be developed for protection, restoration, repair, renewal and adaptive reuse, in order to avoid one-sided or oversimplified approaches and provide stronger technical support for higher-quality protection and utilization work.
Qin made the remarks at a meeting in Beijing marking the establishment of a branch of the Urban Planning Society of China dedicated to the protection of traditional villages and buildings.
China has placed 8,155 villages on the state protection list of traditional villages, while more than 5,000 villages have also been included on provincial-level protection lists.
From 2026 to 2028, central government funds will support selected counties with sound foundations, strong initiative and distinctive local features in building thematic conservation zones for traditional villages, with the aim of creating a number of national-level cultural brands.
Qin urged local authorities to systematically review the planning and construction concepts and methods embodied in traditional villages and buildings, summarize practical experience in their protection, repair and utilization, and carry forward the wisdom of traditional Chinese culture. ■
