Beijing completes over 60 Great Wall emergency reinforcement projects in five years

The Gubeikou section of the Great Wall meanders through the mountains of Beijing's Miyun district. LI JING/XINHUA

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Beijing carried out more than 60 emergency reinforcement projects on the Great Wall, restoring over 20 kilometers of wall sections, according to municipal authorities on Wednesday.

The city has integrated the protection of the Great Wall, the Central Axis and ancient capital structures to create a comprehensive cultural heritage conservation system, said Huo Zhijing, deputy director of the publicity department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Beijing pioneered an approach of archaeological work running through the entire process of restoration of the Great Wall, embedding research into every phase of repairs, said Chu Jianhao, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau. Adjustments to protection zones and improved monitoring mechanisms had enabled better management of both the wall and its surroundings.

An early warning platform is being built for Great Wall resources management and real-time surveillance, utilizing drones and quadruped robots for regular inspections to enhance efficiency and accuracy, Chu said.