Background

　　Sichuan has the world cultural heritage, Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan Irrigation System, World cultural and natural heritage, Mount Emei and Leshan Giant Buddha, and world natural heritage, giant panda habitat, Jiuzhai Valley and Huanglong. Moreover, another 4 cultural heritages of Sichuan, including “Shu Roads", “Ancient Shu Civilization Ruins”, “Zang and Qiang Towers and Villages” and “Chinese Liquor Old Workshop”, have been successfully enlisted in the update version of World Heritage Tentative List in China, making Sichuan among one of the provinces with the most world heritages. The proposal of Silk Road Economic Belt brings new opportunities to declare Shu Road as world heritage.

　　To encourage and advocate the declaration of Shu Road as world heritage, Mr. Zheng Xiaoxing, deputy to the National People's Congress and director of Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture, thought he was responsible. On NPC and CPPCC of 2015, Zheng is going to propose suggestions on promoting the declaration of Shu Road as world heritage. “We will strive to declare Shu Roads as world heritage in 2017.” He was very confident. After years of efforts, Shu Roads have been uccessfully enlisted in the update version of World Heritage Tentative List in China.

　　"The reason why we declare Shu Roads as world heritage is to protect the cultural heritage in a better way, not merely for the development of tourism economy”. Talking about the declaration journey, Zheng Xiaoxing felt that the biggest change was thought, which had been a common sense in Sichuan.

　　"The change in thought never comes easily.” Mr. Zheng Xiaoxing said. A lot of places declared world heritage for attraction of more tourists and developing tourism economy. In this sense, many immovable cultural heritages have not been protected properly and have been disappearing. Other irrational actions also distressed workers devoted to cultural heritage protection.

　　To protect and declare world heritage, Sichuan has undergone solid and effective work on declaration of Shu Roads under the ideological guidance. Meanwhile, Sichuan also cooperates with Shannxi Province actively. “Shu Roads belong to not only Sichuan, but also China.” According to Mr. Zheng, Shu Roads are the best preserved cultural tourism routes in China, even in the world and an important transportation routes connecting Qin and Shu. Shu Roads are divided into two parts with Hanzhong as boundary. The north section is located in Shannxi while the south section is located in Sichuan. The whole length of Shu Roads is 1,000 km.

　　In 2009, 9 renowned experts, including Zheng Xiaoxie, Ge Jianxiong, Luo Zhewen and Ruan Yisan and so on jointly wrote A Public Letter Concerning the Whole Protection and Declaration as World Heritage of Chinese Shu Road Cultural Roads to 11 majors along Shu Roads, such as Chengdu, Xi'an, Guangyuan, Hanzhong, Baoji, Mianyang and so on. In November, 2009, an initiative to declare Chinese Shu Roads as world cultural road heritage was proposed on “2009 Chinese Shu Roads, Guangyuan International Forum” held in Guangyuan.

　　The declaration of Shu Roads as world heritage becomes a major project of protecting cultural heritage with inter-provincial cooperation.

      Zheng Xiaoxing revealed that currently Shu Roads have been one of the most competitive projects on the World Heritage Tentative List in China in 2017. Sichuan will increase coordination and communication with Shannxi to jointly promote the declaration of Shu Roads as world heritage.

　　Suggestions

　　"The last sprint requires power which comes from inter-provincial cooperation.” Zheng Xiaoxing suggests that to achieve the goal, the nation should coordinate Sichuan and Shannxi to mutually promote the declaration of Shu Roads as world cultural and natural heritage and to form more powerful force.”

　　"It is of great importance to declare with the rule of law.” Mr. Zheng Xiaoxing said that the government should improve their administration management in accordance with the law, comply with Law of Cultural Relics Protection and related rules and regulations in local development plannings and measures, and erase some man-made obstacles on the way of declaration.”