During the 2026 Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, addressed the question of how nations can jointly safeguard shared cultural heritage from excessive tourism commercialization.

He stressed that cross-border cooperation and mutual understanding among countries are essential for effective heritage protection. Khan cited Dunhuang as an outstanding example of cultural heritage conservation practice. He also spoke highly of the globalization concept put forward by China, noting that it provides a valuable framework for joint heritage stewardship.