UNESCO's World Heritage Committee will hold its 28th Session beginning June 28 in Suzhou. The committee will select new inclusions for the World Heritage List.

Among the 50 cultural and historic sites it will consider are China's capital cities and tombs of the ancient Koguryo Kingdom (first through fifth centuries AD). At present, China has 29 sites included on the World Heritage List, ranking third behind Spain and Italy.

The classical gardens in Suzhou, which is hosting the session, were added to the list in 1997. Suzhou is located in east China's Jiangsu Province.

"All preparations are going smoothly," said Zhang Xinsheng, vice minister of education and director of the China National Committee of UNESCO.

Nearly 500 representatives are registered to attend the 10-day-long session.

"Both the number of representatives and the span of the meeting are new records in the history of the World Heritage Committee sessions," said Zhang, who will also chair the 28th session.

He said that 27 topics will be discussed, including the hotly debated Cairns Decision.

The decision, which the committee adopted in 2000, limits the number of nominations to be submitted by each member state to one each year. Some member countries have opposed the decision on grounds that there are countries with no properties included on the World Heritage List and others with long lists of submissions waiting to be examined.

"The committee requested the decision be reviewed this year to see if any amendment is necessary . . . and China will submit a proposal to be discussed to see whether the limit can be amended," he said.

At present, China has more than 100 cultural and historic properties on its preparation list.

"The historic monuments of Macao have been nominated to be examined next year at the 29th session," said Tian Xiaogang, secretary-general of the China National Committee of UNESCO.

The monuments represent the oldest and richest European architectural legacy standing intact on Chinese territory. Experts say they are a unique product of Sino-Western cultural interflow and assimilation over 400 years.

Tian said that they cannot be sure that the committee will select the capital cities and tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom this year, but the Chinese committee is confident that the property is in line with all six criteria needed to be included on the list.

Located in Ji'an, northeast China's Jilin Province, the historic site includes Guonei City, Wandu Mountain City, as well as kings' and nobles' tombs.

Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City, capitals of the early and middle Koguryo, are considered masterpieces of capital construction, while the ancient tombs are the epitome of Koguryo's achievements in art and architecture.

(China Daily June 23, 2004)