Beijing is MKsportsfunding urban and district level institutions with nearly 100 million yuan ($13.78 million) annually for the repair, protection, development and utilization of the Great Wall, according to the Beijing Daily.

A general view of the Great Wall in Beijing Photo: chinapeace.gov.cn

In the implementation of the Great Wall Cultural Belt initiative, one of three cultural belts projects promoted in Beijing, the capital city will provide funding for the preventive protection, the research-based repair and the improvement of digital protection of the Great Wall. The fund will also support the environmental improvement along the Great Wall Cultural Belt and shape an improved ecological environment.

The investment will help develop the cultural and tourist resources of the Great Wall, by supporting the organization of the Beijing Great Wall Cultural Festival and the Badaling Great Wall Cultural Forum, activities aimed at further enhancing Great Wall-themed cultural products, and creating new development making use of the Great Wall's original advantages.

The 2024 Beijing Great Wall Cultural Festival kicked off on Friday, featuring cultural activities and sport events, which showcased the successful integration of culture and tourism.

In addition to the construction and maintenance of the Great Wall Cultural Belt initiative, the government funding also supports the renovation and upgrading projects of the Great Wall Museum of China, making sure all efforts meet high standards and the museum can operate regularly, providing visitors with a high-quality environment and services.

An official in charge of the project was reported saying that the Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau will focus on supporting the museum in hosting special exhibitions to retell the Great Wall's story and maintain its legacy.

Meanwhile, the funding will support the local efforts in the protection of cultural relics. An average annual fund of 60 million yuan will be allocated to support the districts of Yanqing, Huairou and Miyun and other areas along the Great Wall to organize targeted protection and development activities, establishing a Great Wall protection team, and improving the level of repair, management and archaeological work on the Great Wall, a UNESCO world heritage site. According to the report, the fund aims to create new momentum for the protection, inheritance and utilization of the Great Wall.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for efforts to let more people know about the Great Wall and engage more people in its protection to pass on the ancestors' precious heritage to future generations in a reply letter to residents of Shixia village in Badaling township, Yanqing district on May 14.

The year 2024 also marks the 40th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping and Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping's father, writing inscriptions for the initiative on protection of the Great Wall "Love My China, Repair My Great Wall." The initiative was launched jointly by media in Beijing, calling the public to donate and raise funds for the Great Wall. The public's contributions led to a cultural upsurge and widespread support for the protection and repair of the Great Wall in China even from the global Chinese community.

Global Times