Chinese experts from the Shaanxi Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage have completed the restoration and protection of some of Myanmar's most important ancient pagodas, which have long been among Myanmar's leading tourist attractions. Many of the monuments were damaged in an earthquake.

Bagan is an ancient Buddhist city and former capital of the kingdom which united the country hundreds of years ago.

The UN cultural agency UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Site.

It said the architecture of Bagan "reflects the strength of religious devotion" in what used to be a thriving Buddhist empire. Many of the Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, for which Bagan is famous, date from the 11th and 12th centuries.

However, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake three years ago damaged more than 420 of the revered monuments. A Chinese team of experts have now completed the temporary restoration and reinforcement of these cultural treasures. It's been the largest cultural aid project undertaken by China in recent years. 

"Because it is a world cultural heritage site, we must first abide by the norms of international cultural heritage protection. Of course, we must also abide by the principles of Myanmar's cultural heritage protection, and at the same time we must respect the local religious and cultural customs of Myanmar, so that we can do a better job," said Zhao Qiang, head of Shaanxi Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage.