China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

China Revises Cultural Relics Protection Law

Tue, 14 Jan 2025
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 8 Nov. 2024, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (China’s top legislature) passed the newly revised Cultural Relics Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, which will take effect on 1 Mar. 2025.

The Cultural Relics Protection Law was enacted in November 1982, and has undergone one revision and five amendments. This marks the second revision, which involves more extensive changes compared to previous amendments.

The revision focuses on the protection management system for cultural relics. For example, it introduces a “survey before construction” system, which stipulates that no construction work can commence in areas with immovable cultural relics without prior survey to prevent damage from construction. Additionally, the “archaeological survey before land transfer” system is introduced, which requires archaeological surveys and explorations to be conducted before land is transferred or allocated, in order to minimize the impact of archaeological excavations on construction projects.

Furthermore, the revision emphasizes the country’s support for international cooperation and exchanges in the fields of archaeology, restoration, exhibition, scientific research, law enforcement, and judicial activities related to the protection of cultural relics. The Law also clarifies China’s efforts to strengthen international cooperation in the restitution and return of cultural relics.

 

Photo by Aaron Greenwood on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

Chinese Supreme Court Judgment Enforced by Court of NSW Australia

In October 2024, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia ruled to enforce a Chinese monetary judgment (Fujian Rongtaiyuan Industrial Co Ltd v Zhan [2024] NSWSC 1318). The Chinese judgment was made by the Fujian High People’s Court, which was affirmed by a judgment of China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) in 2021.

China Enacts Preschool Education Law

Effective June 1, 2025, China's newly passed Preschool Education Law emphasizes inclusivity and government-led development, and prohibits primary school-style teaching in kindergartens to promote the well-being and development of preschool children.

China Revises Cultural Relics Protection Law

China's revised Cultural Relics Protection Law, effective March 1, 2025, strengthens preservation measures, introduces pre-construction surveys, and promotes international cooperation in the restitution and return of cultural relics.

SPC Regulates Online Judicial Auctions

In November 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) issued new guidelines to regulate online judicial auctions, emphasizing transparency in property disclosures, enhanced mechanisms for judgment debtors to self-dispose of auctioned assets, and improved supervision across all auction stages to protect parties' rights and streamline enforcement procedures.

China’s First Tribunal-Ordered Interim Measure Issued in Beijing

In October 2024, an arbitral tribunal at the Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC/BIAC) issued an interim measure based on the applicant’s request, which was later confirmed and enforced by the court through a preservation order. This is the first of its kind in China, confirming the validity of tribunal-issued interim measures and highlighting the pro-arbitration stance of Chinese courts.

SPC Releases IP Protection Cases in Seed Industry

In October 2024, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) released key judicial protection cases to strengthen intellectual property rights in the seed industry, focusing on plant variety and breeding material disputes.

China Defines Rules for Calculating Trademark Infringement Gains

In October 2024, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly issued the “Measures for Calculating Illegal Business Revenue in Trademark Infringement Cases”, which provide detailed operational guidelines for trademark enforcement authorities to calculate illegal business revenue.

SPC Releases Typical Cases on Tourism Disputes

In September 2024, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) released five typical tourism dispute cases, including health rights disputes caused by wild monkey attacks in Mount Emei, to guide courts in resolving common tourism conflicts and safeguarding tourists' legitimate rights and interests.