China's ancient capital Luoyang plans to relocate a large float glass factory to better protect imperial relics, local authorities said Wednesday.

A total of 1 billion yuan (US$146.4 million) will be invested into the project, according to the Luoyang municipal government.

China Luoyang Float Glass Co. Ltd, which was built in 1956 and covers an area of 53.3 hectares, is located at Jiuzhouchi relics, an imperial garden of Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907).

The relocation aims to better protect Jiuzhouchi relics and gave way to the building of an imperial city archeological relics park, said a Luoyang municipal cultural heritage bureau official.

Luoyang has relocated 26 companies and 700 households to protect the Sui and Tang dynasty relics. The city, located in central China's Henan Province, was the capital of nine Chinese dynasties.

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2009)