Beijing:China is set to enhance its efforts in protecting cultural heritage through the expanded use of artificial intelligence (AI), satellite remote sensing, drones, 3D modeling, and virtual reality as part of its new five-year plan.
According to Qatar News Agency, the plan covers the 2026-2030 period and focuses on safeguarding a wide range of cultural assets, including grottoes, ancient murals, rock art, earthen sites, ancient books, and archival materials. This initiative aims to harness technology to survey, monitor, and protect the country's extensive cultural heritage resources.
China, which possesses more than 760,000 immovable cultural relics and approximately 108 million pieces or sets of state-owned movable cultural relics, is shifting from traditional methods of recording and monitoring to earlier risk detection through digital technologies. The use of AI and satellites will monitor environmental changes around heritage sites, using high-resolution imaging and AI recognition to detect abnormal activities and long-term risks like landslides and floods.
The plan outlines 33 major tasks for cultural heritage protection, emphasizing technological innovation alongside archaeological work, intangible cultural heritage, museums, and international cooperation. It includes requirements for archaeological surveys before major development projects to ensure the integrated protection of cultural relics and their historic settings.