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S. China Karst extension listed as World Heritage Site

Date:2014-06-23

Photo taken on April 9, 2013 shows the scenery of stalactites inside the Reed Flute Cave in Guilin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The World Heritage Committee on Monday inscribed an extension of South China Karst, a natural World Heritage Site since 2007, into the UNESCO's World Heritage List. (Xinhua/Lu Bo'an)

DOHA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The World Heritage Committee on Monday added an extension of South China Karst, a natural World Heritage Site since 2007, to the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The extension, with a total area of 1,186 square kilometers, includes the Jinfoshan cluster in Chongqing Municipality, the Shibing cluster in Guizhou Province, and the Guilin and Zhujiang clusters in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region -- all in southwest China.

Experts believe that the addition of South China Karst (Phase II) makes the listing more complete.

The two parts group the world's most unique karst physiognomy, which evolved from plateau to plains.

Karst topography is a distinctive landscape formed from the dissolution of layers of soluble bedrock, such as limestone, dolomite and gypsum.

It is characterized by underground systems with sinkholes, dolines and caves. It may also result in a variety of large- or small-limestone pavements, poljes, karst valleys, clints, flutes, vertical shafts on the exposed surface.

The World Heritage Committee, which was convening its 38th annual session in Doha, Qatar, added China's 2,400-year-old Grand Canal and a section of the ancient trade route of Silk Road to the World Heritage List on Sunday.

With the three successful inscriptions, China has already become No. 2 on the list with 47 sites, only behind Italy's 50 sites.

Li Rusheng, deputy head of the Chinese delegation to the convention, lauded the new inscription, saying the approval is conducive to helping the world deepen its understanding about China's unique natural resources and strengthening people's consciousness of protecting natural resources, especially special heritage resources.

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Silk Road, China's Grand Canal listed as World Heritage Sites

DOHA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The famous ancient Silk Road and China's Grand Canal, the world's longest artificial waterway, were inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites here on Sunday.

Jointly submitted by China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the application for adding part of the Silk Road, which served as a corridor for trade and cultural exchanges between Asia and Europe dating back to 2,000 years ago, to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) list was approved by the World Heritage Committee at a session in the Qatari capital.