Yellow River protection prioritized

Guideline calls for safeguarding of ancient waterway's cultural treasures

Snaking through 69 cities in nine provinces and autonomous regions across North China, the 5,464-kilometer-long Yellow River is an age-old witness to the nation's history.

Over the course of around 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, different regions along the river have served as important political and cultural centers. Over 300,000 cultural heritage sites are located along the length of the Yellow River, comprising about 40 percent of the national total, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Methods for better protecting these sites have been a concern for generations of conservators.