China's cultural relic departments are compiling information on the number, location, and general conditions of cultural relics sites into a digital archive.

According the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH), the new database for the 1,271 cultural heritage sites which are under national level protection will be established by the end of 2005.

A monitoring system based on the new database will also be developed to help supervise and protect preservation programs. The system will offer timely and accurate information to protect the endangered heritage sites, said an official with SACH.

Digital archives will also be established for the antiques preserved in museums across China. A list of Chinese antiques will be published by the end of this year.

SACH will also build a national cultural heritage network by 2007 to manage and share information on heritage resources.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2005)