said a Chinese culture and tourism official. On Friday, the United Nations Educa-tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO inscribed the tombs on its World Heritage List, bringing the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 60.

The application effort has demonstrated China's ongoing commitment to strengthening the holistic and systematic protection, preservation and sustainable use of its cultural and natural heritage," said Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Rao Quan, also head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration NCHA in an interview with Xinhua.

It was also an opportunity to demonstrate to the world the historical and cultural values of the Chinese civilization as well as its outstanding features, Rao added. Located at the foot of Helan Mountain in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Au-tonomous Region, the tombs were built by the Tangut, an ethnic group that thrived in northwest China between the 11th and 13th centuries. The Xixia Impe-rial Tombs are the largest, most well-preserved and highest-ranking archaeological remains of the Xixia Dynasty 1038-1227 according to Rao. The site is a testa-ment to the cultural fusion and interactions among multiple traditions, serving as vital evidence of the diverse yet unified nature of Chinese civilization and the formation of a multi-ethnic nation, while holding an irreplaceable place in the his-tory of world civilizations, he added.

Regarding follow-up work related to the Xixia Imperial Tombs, the official pledged to further strengthen heritage protection, advance academic research in archaeology and cultural relics, strengthen the capacity of heritage management institutions, and enhance the systems for showcasing and interpreting the site's cultural value. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's accession to the World Heritage Convention. The NCHA plans to enhance the protection and promotion of China's World Cultural Heritage sites and nominate additional sites for inclusion on the World Heritage List, Rao said. He called for more efforts to better showcase Chinese civilization, promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and make an even greater contribution to the flour-ishing of world civilizations. (Xinhua)