China's top cultural heritage official signed Monday a memorandum in San Francisco with the American Planning Association (APA) on cooperation in cultural heritage preservation in city planning.

Under the agreement, the two sides will exchange information on cultural relics and heritage preservation in city planning in China and in the United States and invite the other party to relevant seminars, conferences and planning projects organized by either party.

The two sides will cooperate in research and demonstration programs to further the principles of heritage and cultural conservation and their application at the national, regional and local levels.

The memorandum also said both sides will encourage relevant educational exchanges at all personnel levels and provide necessary assistance for the other party's professional training.

Shan Jixiang, director general of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China (ACHC), said the signing of the memorandum marks a starting point for a heritage preservation organization of an ancient Oriental country and the largest planning organization in the world to jointly write a new chapter in the conservation of cultural heritage.

He said China always looks for more partners for the preservation of its cultural heritage and he is looking forward to long-term cooperation with APA in more areas. He expressed his confidence that such kind of cooperation will certainly promote the integration of heritage preservation into urban planning in China.

Paul Farmer, APA executive director, said the agreement furthers his organization's relationship with the ACHC and encourages the exchanges of information and the sharing of education opportunities, research and development.

APA is a nonprofit public-interest and research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional and rural planning.

Source: Xinhua