North China's Shanxi province is stepping up efforts to protect its historical treasures, with its department of finance announcing a multi-pronged approach to significantly increase funding for protection of cultural relics.

The 2024 budget for cultural relic protection has witnessed a substantial increase, reaching 408 million yuan ($56.1 million), a remarkable average annual growth of 8 percent compared to 2021. This significant investment will empower relevant authorities to undertake crucial tasks like restoration projects, security upgrades, and archaeological excavations. Additionally, the budget will support the ongoing maintenance of historical buildings, cultural relic custodianship and the cultivation of skilled professionals in the field.

Shanxi has successfully secured 525 million yuan for its national cultural relic protection fund in 2024, a massive 60 percent increase compared to the previous year. This achievement positions Shanxi as the top recipient of national funding, demonstrating its strong commitment towards safeguarding the province's cultural relics.

Meanwhile, Shanxi has actively encouraged public participation in the preservation of cultural relics and has attracted significant social investment, exceeding 520 million yuan by the end of 2023, primarily through initiatives like historical structures custodianship.

Moving forward, the Shanxi Provincial Department of Finance, in collaboration with the Shanxi Culture Relics Bureau, will strive to include major projects related to Shanxi's ancient architecture, painted sculptures and murals in the list of national key projects for cultural relic protection, while promoting the integrated protection and utilization of low-level cultural relics with tourism potential across the province.