STORY: Old tea forests in China's Pu'er listed as world heritage site
DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2023
LENGTH: 0:02:10
LOCATION: Riyadh
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): WANG HAIZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI QUN, Head of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ERNESTO OTTONE RAMIREZ, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): JOSEPH KING, Senior Director, International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): WANG HAIZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"The Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on Sunday. At its extended 45th session ongoing here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee examined the site nominated by China and added it to the list as a cultural property, making it China's 57th world heritage site."

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI QUN, Head of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration
"The Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er has filled a gap in the World Heritage List's tea-themed projects. It showcases the rich history and remarkable achievements of Chinese tea culture, while also highlighting the significance of China's position regarding tea's origin, cultivation, trade and the dissemination of tea culture worldwide."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ERNESTO OTTONE RAMIREZ, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture
"This time once again, there is a new site inscribed by China. And this time it's Pu'er in the region of the tea, a landscape that is very significant for the community, and also well-known internationally. So it was very well received by the committee members, by the advisory body. So I believe that China should feel pride of this new inscription on the World Heritage List as it shows how much the government of China has been preoccupied and involved in the safeguarding of heritage."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): JOSEPH KING, Senior Director, International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property
"This is a very wonderful nomination that was inscribed as a world heritage property today. China has many, many wonderful properties around the entire country and I've actually been to quite a few. I have to confess I haven't had a chance to visit this landscape yet, but I'm very much hoping in the future that I will be able to do that, because it is clear that it has an immense beauty and it has a really outstanding universal value."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Riyadh.
(XHTV)