Villages and towns that have been nominated as "Historic Towns of China" will not enjoy an indefinite membership on the list.

"If they fail to reach the relevant standard, they will be removed from the list. We expect more efforts to be taken in preserving our heritages, instead of getting enlisted and then forget the more important job," says an official of the Ministry of Construction during the Seminar on the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Relics taking place in Yi County, Anhui province.

Since 2003, the Ministry of Construction has nominated 80 "Historic Towns of China" scattered among 25 provinces of the country, to protect precious heritages from being destroyed by economic development.

The new decision is expected to encourage more protective efforts in areas that have been included on the list.

(CRI.com November 16, 2006)