But a lobbyist says it is more important to teach people it is wrong to trade relics
New regulations on the protection of cultural relics will help the mainland fight the illegal trade in antiquities, but increasing public awareness is more important, a campaigner says.
The State Council on Thursday promulgated comprehensive regulations on protecting China's cultural heritage.
They aim to block the illegal export of antiquities and impose more specific rules against damaging ancient tombs, buildings and other cultural property.
He Shuzhong, the director of Beijing-based Cultural Heritage Watch, yesterday said the emphasis in the new rules on co-operation among government departments would help curb the rampant sale of stolen Chinese relics.
'These [relics] are things that cannot simply be replaced once they're lost,' he said. 'I'm very happy that they have made concrete demands on authorities to co-operate.'
'But the situation won't improve immediately. It depends on lots of other things - such as the promotion of awareness among ordinary people, the co-operation of law-enforcement authorities and the monitoring of the media,' Mr He said.
