A prisoner-of-war (POW) camp used by Japanese invaders during World War II in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, is to be protected as a historical site, local authorities said.

The camp was established by the Japanese army to keep POWs from the allied forces captured in the Pacific theater, most of whom were from the United States.

About 1,500 prisoners were held in the camp from November 1942 to August 1945. Records show that more than 40 percent of the prisoners died in the camp during the three years.

Survivors were repatriated after Japan surrendered.

Local government departments in charge of cultural relics and land resources made the decision at the end of September and the protection project will be launched later this month.

The POW camp, located in the Dadong district of Shenyang, was once used by a local machinery factory, but most parts of the camp retain their original appearance.

The camp is one of the few existing sites in Shenyang testifying to Japanese war crimes, so historians believe it is of great significance to preserve the camp.

The site will also be open to the public.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2003)