Liu Yuzhu, director of the State Administration of Cultural relics said on the Thursday that the State Council will issue the eighth batch of key national cultural relics protection units in China. Up to now, 5,058 units of national-level protection have been approved in China.

A total of 762 cultural relics are in the eighth batch, and another 50 were merged with other sites that had been approved before. Among them, 167 ancient sites, 30 ancient tombs, 280 ancient buildings, 39 cave temples and stone carvings, 234 important historical sites and representative buildings, and 12 others are included. Shanxi, Henan, Zhejiang, Anhui and Hunan provinces have the most selected sites.

Song Xinchao, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural relics, "in general, the eighth batch of the national relics include archaeological sites, architectural heritage, educational heritage, industrial heritage, agricultural heritage, water conservancy heritage, military heritage, railway cultural relics and so on. It not only reflects the development of various industries in China's economy and society, but also puts forward new requirements for follow-up protection of cultural relics."

Liu Yuzhu said the State Administration of Cultural relics will focus on key cultural relics protection units throughout the country, and promoting the activation and utilization of cultural relics resources and let people share the success of the protection.