Building confidence

Experts said one of the reasons Xi has championed China's heritage protection over the past decade is to bolster the nation's cultural confidence.

Xu, from Tianjin University, said, "President Xi has underscored cultural heritage protection to protect China's cultural genes.

"Without such protection, there will be no material evidence of a civilization that has existed for 5,000 years."

Liu, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Xi has emphasized the combination of Marxism and China's traditional culture, and also the close links between socialism with Chinese characteristics and the nation's civilization.

He added that the president has given cultural protection a political perspective and has associated such efforts with China's cultural confidence. "The more efforts are made to explore China's fine traditional culture and historic heritage, the more confident the nation will be in its past and future," Liu said.

xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn