Xi Jinping stresses need for systematic protection of intangible cultural heritage

Chinese President Xi Jinping has underlined the importance of making solid headway in the systematic protection of intangible cultural heritage and better promoting Chinese culture around the world.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks recently in an important instruction on the protection of intangible cultural heritage.

His instruction came after China’s traditional tea-making was added to the intangible cultural heritage list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 29.

The listing is of great importance to the promotion of Chinese tea culture, he said.

Concrete measures should be taken for the systematic protection of the intangible cultural heritage so as to meet people’s ever-growing intellectual and cultural needs and help build cultural confidence and strength, Xi said.

He added that efforts should also be made to encourage creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture, enhance the cohesion of the Chinese nation and the appeal of Chinese culture, deepen exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations, and tell stories of fine traditional Chinese culture well to better present Chinese culture to the world.

On November 29, the item “Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China” passed the examination at the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in the Moroccan capital of Rabat.

China now has 43 items on the intangible cultural heritage list, and continues to be the most enlisted country in the world.

(With input from Xinhua)